Lee Jae-myung
Lee Jae-myung is a South Korean politician and the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea. He served as governor of Gyeonggi Province, the country's most populous region, and previously as mayor of Seongnam. Known for a moderate left-populist platform, he has been a leading figure in South Korean politics and was the Democratic Party's presidential candidate in the closely contested 2022 election, which he lost to Yoon Suk-yeol.
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South Korea recalls ambassador to Ukraine amid dispute over North Korean POW transfer and fuel allegations
On October 8, South Korea's Foreign Ministry announced the recall of its ambassador to Ukraine, Park Hee-chang, amid a diplomatic dispute that erupted after President Volodymyr Zelensky announced at the UN General Assembly on September 23 that Ukraine had transferred two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea. Seoul accused Kyiv of breaching a non-disclosure agreement and demanded an apology, while Ukraine's Office of the President and Foreign Ministry denied any such agreement existed. A separate row flared after Ukrainian sanctions adviser Vladyslav Vlasyuk, citing The Guardian, alleged that more than 176,000 tonnes of fuel were shipped from South Korea to Russia in July and August on sanctioned tankers; South Korea's presidential office rejected the claim as 'unacceptable' and cited official statistics showing no such exports.
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South Korean ports shipped over 176,000 tonnes of fuel to the Russian Far East in July–August, including via sanctioned tankers
A Guardian investigation found that over 176,000 tonnes of fuel, mostly diesel, were loaded onto seven tankers at South Korean ports in July and August and delivered to the Russian Far East. Three of the tankers were under UK and EU sanctions, and South Korea accounted for about 31% of Russia's seaborne oil-product imports in August. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry confirmed the finding, while the South Korean presidential office denied the allegations and said official trade statistics show no fuel exports from South Korea to Russia.
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South Korean president threatens "further action" over Ukraine's disclosure of North Korean POW transfer
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung threatened unspecified "further action" unless Ukraine publicly apologises for President Volodymyr Zelensky's disclosure at the UN General Assembly that two captured North Korean soldiers had been transferred to South Korea. Ukraine's foreign minister called the row a "diplomatic misunderstanding" and said Kyiv is working to resolve it, while the two governments dispute whether any confidentiality agreement on the transfer existed.