South Korea to withdraw some diplomatic staff from Ukraine amid POW dispute
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Seoul will withdraw some diplomatic personnel from Ukraine amid deteriorating relations with Kyiv following the disclosure of a transfer of North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to South Korea, Yonhap news agency reported on Oct. 20, citing the South Korean Foreign Ministry.
The decision follows South Korea's earlier decision to recall its ambassador to Ukraine on Oct. 8, to which Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi responded that "diplomacy should prevail over emotions."
Relations between the two countries have plummeted after President Volodymyr Zelensky disclosed the transfer of two North Korean POWs to South Korea during his speech at the U.N. General Assembly on Sept. 23. Seoul claims the announcement violated a confidentiality agreement.
"This measure was taken because we judged it necessary to facilitate an amicable resolution of the issue and restore trust between the two countries," Park Doo-soon, a spokesperson for Seoul's Foreign Ministry, said during a press briefing, according to Yonhap.
He did not disclose how many diplomats will be leaving Ukraine.
Nonetheless, a charge d'affaires is set to remain in Kyiv to represent South Korean nationals in Ukraine and to maintain diplomatic communications between the countries, Park added.
Seoul also justified the decision by the growing threat of Russian air strikes, which make it difficult to ensure the safety of its staff.
The move marks another episode in the deteriorating Ukrainian-South Korean ties sparked by Zelensky's revelation of the POW transfer.
Despite Seoul's anger, Ukraine's Presidential Office said it would have been "strange" to keep the entire transfer secret and initially claimed there was no confidentiality agreement.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha later described the spat as a "diplomatic misunderstanding."
Seoul rebuffed Kyiv's claims about an alleged lack of a confidentiality agreement and only sharpened its rhetoric after Ukraine's denial.
"If you (Ukraine) continue to refuse to acknowledge the facts and to issue a public apology, we will take additional measures," said South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Oct. 2.
"As this is a matter concerning the honor of the Republic of Korea's people and nation, we cannot overlook it," he added in a social media post.
South Korea said on Oct. 6 it received an apology from Ukraine that differed "from the level we expect," adding it would "take firm measures" if no further explanation or apology is provided.
Ukraine announced the capture of two North Korean soldiers in early 2025 as an estimated 11,000 North Korean troops were deployed to Russia's Kursk Oblast.
