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South Korea is recalling its ambassador to Ukraine
South Korea will recall its ambassador from Ukraine amid a diplomatic dispute over Kyiv’s disclosure of information regarding the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul.
This is stated in a statement by the country’s Foreign Ministry, according to Censor.NET, citing Yonhap.
Details
"The government has decided to recall its ambassador to Ukraine to Seoul. We hope that the various issues between the two countries will be resolved appropriately, and we will continue consultations with the Ukrainian side to achieve this goal," the statement said.
Background
- During his address to the UN General Assembly, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine had recently handed over to South Korea two North Korean prisoners of war captured on the battlefield.
- In December 2025, two North Korean soldiers, who had been captured by Ukrainian defenders during combat operations, wrote a letter requesting permission to travel to South Korea. On January 11, 2025, it was reported that Ukrainian forces had captured two North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation.
- Subsequently, South Korea accused Zelenskyy of disclosing a secret operation involving the transfer of North Korean prisoners of war.
- The Office of the President later denied that Ukraine had agreed with South Korea not to disclose information about the transfer of North Korean prisoners of war.
- Despite this, Seoul stated that it was demanding an apology.
- On August 28, the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Andrii Veshkin, Ukraine’s acting ambassador to Seoul.
- South Korea threatened Ukraine with "additional measures" over the North Korean prisoners of war.
- In October, South Korea received an apology from Ukraine for disclosing information about the handover of two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul.
