Lee Slams Publicizing of North Korean POW Transfer as "Cruel and Irresponsible"

MEXICO CITY — President Lee Jae-myung, on a state visit to Mexico, said on the 24th that "state affairs must be conducted for the nation and its people, not for the interests or popularity of a government or those in power." His remarks pushed back against the People Power Party, which had criticized the government and demanded it explain why it did not disclose the transfer to South Korea of two North Korean soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces.

Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Lee said the domestic transfer of North Korean prisoners of war "is an extremely sensitive issue that has a major impact on diplomacy, security and the situation on the Korean Peninsula." He shared an article headlined, "Opposition: Zelenskyy announced entry of North Korean POWs. Why did Lee hide it? The facts must be revealed."

He said that from the perspective of his critics, "who would have beaten drums and danced and advertised the prisoner transfer to the whole world to take credit for the achievement, with no regard for what happens to inter-Korean relations, whether someone dies, or whether the national interest is damaged, our government's efforts to keep this confidential are not only incomprehensible but would even raise the question of whether something was wrong with it."

"When you consider someone's life and national interests such as national security, it is impossible to be this cruel and irresponsible," Lee said. "Do you think there were no internal arguments to disclose the transfer of North Korean prisoners, which would clearly have helped recover the government's approval rating?" He added, "But considering the various problems that would arise from disclosure, keeping it confidential was reasonable in every respect, and that is what was agreed."

Lee said, "People who harm someone's life, the national interest and security for their own petty gain are called murderers or traitors," adding that "it is not right to condemn a confidentiality measure that was reasonable and justified."

On Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's disclosure in a U.N. General Assembly speech the previous day that two North Korean soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces had recently been sent to South Korea, Lee said, "I do not know what circumstances the Ukrainian side faced in breaking the confidentiality agreement and going public, but it is deeply regrettable." He closed by saying, "I earnestly hope that these inhumane wars, in which countless people are killed or wounded and everything is destroyed, will end soon."