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South Korea Withdraws Staff from Ukraine Embassy Over POW Row
· Confirmed
In Short: South Korea will withdraw some staff from its embassy in Kyiv amid a diplomatic dispute over Ukraine's disclosure of the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war.
South Korea announced Tuesday it will withdraw some staff from its embassy in Kyiv, deepening a diplomatic row with Ukraine over the disclosure of the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war. The Kyiv Post (Ukraine) and Arabnews (Saudi Arabia) reported that South Korea's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Park Doosoon said the withdrawal was due to Ukraine’s lack of constructive steps to address Seoul’s grievances and concerns about safety amid intensifying Russian attacks.
According to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle (U.S.) and ABC News (U.S.), South Korea recalled its ambassador to Ukraine earlier this month in protest. The recall followed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's disclosure of the prisoner transfer during his address to the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 23.
The Kyiv Post (Ukraine) and Yonhap News Agency (Korea, Republic of) reported that South Korea accused Ukraine of violating a nondisclosure agreement, but Ukraine denies reaching such a deal. The disagreement over the existence of the agreement has further angered Seoul.
The Japan Times (Japan) and The Korea Herald (South Korea) reported that South Korea's constitution considers all North Koreans citizens of the Republic of Korea, and those who defect are generally allowed to stay. Captured in early 2025, the prisoners said in media interviews that they hoped to resettle in South Korea, fearing persecution if returned to the North.
Park Doosoon, South Korea's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said during a regular press briefing that the government has decided to withdraw some embassy personnel, taking into account the absence of any constructive steps by the Ukrainian side following the recall of the ambassador, as well as the persistent threat of airstrikes across Ukraine.
The Kyiv Post (Ukraine) and Kyivindependent (Ukraine) reported that a charge d’affaires would stay on in Kyiv to maintain diplomatic communication along with all consular staff to protect South Korean nationals. Park added that this measure was taken to facilitate an amicable resolution of the issue and restore trust between the two countries.
The Kyiv Post (Ukraine) and Arabnews (Saudi Arabia) reported that the decision came more than a week after South Korea’s ambassador to Ukraine returned home following Zelenskyy’s disclosure of the prisoner transfer last month, which Seoul said put the prisoners' families in North Korea at risk.
The Kyiv Post (Ukraine) and Kyivindependent (Ukraine) reported that Ukraine has insisted that “diplomacy must prevail over emotions” in relations between the countries, and also said Kyiv considered “the situation resolved.” However, South Korea maintains that the dispute remains unresolved.
The Kyiv Post (Ukraine) and Kyivindependent (Ukraine) reported that South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs plans to withdraw approximately half of its embassy staff, although the exact number remains classified.
Despite the disagreement over the existence of the nondisclosure agreement, both countries agree that the diplomatic dispute has escalated due to Ukraine’s disclosure of the prisoner transfer and the subsequent recall of South Korea’s ambassador. The withdrawal of staff from the embassy reflects the ongoing tension and the need for diplomatic resolution.
What this adds
The Kyiv Post (Ukraine) and Kyivindependent (Ukraine) reported that South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs plans to withdraw approximately half of its embassy staff, although the exact number remains classified.
Background
South Korea said it will withdraw some staff from its embassy in Kyiv amid a diplomatic dispute over Ukraine's disclosure of the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war.
What's confirmed
- SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korea said Tuesday it will withdraw some staff from its embassy in Kyiv, deepening a diplomatic row over Ukraine's announcement last month of a transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war that Seoul says was meant to be secret.
- The diplomatic dispute between the countries began after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed the prisoners’ transfer during a Sept. 23 speech at the United Nations.
- South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson Park Doosoon said Tuesday that the withdrawal of additional embassy staff was due to Ukraine’s “lack of constructive steps” to address Seoul’s grievances as well as concerns about safety amid intensifying Russian attacks.
- South Korea has accused Ukraine of violating a nondisclosure agreement, but Ukraine denies the countries reached such a deal, further angering Seoul.
- Captured in early 2025, they said in media interviews that they hoped to resettle in South Korea, fearing persecution if they were returned to the North.
- He said South Korea would keep its charge d’affaires and essential personnel in Kyiv to maintain contact with Ukrainian authorities and assist South Korean citizens.
- South Korean officials said the nondisclosure agreement was intended to protect the soldiers and their relatives in North Korea, although some experts say President Lee Jae Myung’s liberal government may have also feared that publicizing their arrival could undermine its efforts to improve ties with North Korea.
- Park did not specify how many staff members would withdraw or when.
- The decision, announced by Seoul’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, Oct. 20, follows the recall of South Korea’s ambassador to Ukraine on Oct. 8 after President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed the transfer during his address to the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 23.
- 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.
- The two countries have been at loggerheads since Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed the prisoner transfer last month, angering Seoul, which said the operation should have remained confidential to protect their families in North Korea.
- "The government has decided to withdraw some embassy personnel, taking into account the absence of any constructive steps by the Ukrainian side following the recall of our ambassador, as well as the persistent threat of airstrikes across Ukraine, which makes it difficult to ensure their safety," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Park Doo-soon said during a regular press briefing Tuesday.
What's still developing
- South Korea, which in its constitution claims to be the legitimate government of the entire Korean Peninsula, has long accepted and financially supported North Korean defectors.
- The North has previously reacted with fury to high-profile defections by its citizens, sometimes accusing South Korea of kidnapping them.
- Norway Seizes Russian Vessel Professor Molchanov in Svalbard to Enforce Naftogaz $4.22B Award NATO Deploys Turkish Fighter Aircraft After Ukrainian Drones Enter Estonian Airspace Donald Trump said his special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are travelling this weekend to Moscow and Kyiv with a proposal to “end the war,” as the diplomatic effort aims to revive talks between Ukraine and Russia.
- "Ukraine has always been and will remain constructive," Zelenskyy wrote on X.
- "Indeed, this Russian war against Ukraine and against common sense must be ended," Zelensky wrote.