Ukraine Warupdated 1h ago2 min read
South Korea Withdraws More Embassy Staff From Kyiv Over North Korean POW Transfer Dispute
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South Korea withdraws additional Kyiv embassy staff amid North Korean POW transfer dispute. Dispute sparked by Zelensky's disclosure of two North Korean POWs transferred to Seoul.
Staff withdrawal over POW row
South Korea decided to withdraw some diplomatic staff from its embassy in Kyiv as a dispute deepened over Ukraine’s disclosure of the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war, South Korea’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday.
South Korea said the diplomatic dispute began after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed the prisoners’ transfer during a Sept. 23 speech at the United Nations, and Seoul accused Ukraine of violating a nondisclosure agreement.
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi told local media that Kyiv remains open to “constructive dialogue” and that “diplomacy must prevail over emotions.”
South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson Park Doosoon said the withdrawal of additional embassy staff was due to Ukraine’s “lack of constructive steps” to address Seoul’s grievances and concerns about safety amid intensifying Russian attacks.
Seoul cites safety, Kyiv disputes
South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it would withdraw additional embassy personnel after Kyiv’s lack of “constructive response” in the POW dispute, and it said Seoul had told Kyiv of its position via multiple channels. Park Doo-soon said the measure was taken because it judged it necessary to “facilitate an amicable resolution of the issue and restore trust between the two countries,” and he did not specify how many staff members would leave.
The Korea Times reported that a ministry official said 84 Koreans were in Ukraine, including embassy staff, while the ministry did not say how many worked at the embassy or how many would leave. Ukraine insisted that “diplomacy must prevail over emotions” and said Kyiv considered “the situation resolved,” while South Korea said it had demanded an official explanation and apology from Kyiv.
What comes next for ties
South Korea said it would keep its charge d’affaires and essential personnel in Kyiv to maintain contact with Ukrainian authorities and assist South Korean citizens, even as it withdrew some staff. Park Doosoon said South Korea would seek an “amicable resolution” through close consultation with the Ukrainian side, and he said South Korea conveyed its clear position and requests through various channels.
The dispute comes as South Korea and Ukraine maintain somewhat fraught ties amid Russia’s full-scale invasion and growing military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang, according to the Kyiv Post. The Kyiv Post also said North Korea has supplied Russia with ammunition and deployed troops to support its war against Ukraine, while Seoul has provided Kyiv with financial and humanitarian assistance.