Seoul is seeking a way out of its diplomatic dispute with Kyiv, which began after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed in his September 23 address to the United Nations General Assembly the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea, a transfer Seoul says it had asked to keep confidential.

A senior presidential official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the government did not believe it was desirable for the issue to drag on and that discussions were under way to find a way out, according to the Korea Herald. The official also denied that Seoul was tilting toward Moscow, saying relations with Russia operate under international sanctions and restrictions and that the country continues to take part in international efforts to support Ukraine.