South Korea Withdraws Diplomatic Staff From Ukraine Over POW Dispute
South Korea is reducing its embassy personnel in Ukraine following a dispute over President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's disclosure of North Korean prisoner transfers.
The Government of South Korea is withdrawing several diplomatic staff members from its embassy in Ukraine amid a deepening dispute over the transfer of North Korean prisoners of war. The tension began last month after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed the prisoner transfers, a move Seoul claims endangered the families of prisoners still held in North Korea.
President Lee Jae Myung has demanded an official apology for the revelation. While South Korea had already recalled its ambassador and summoned Kyiv's ambassador, the South Korean foreign ministry cited the persistent threat of air strikes as an additional factor in the decision to reduce personnel. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-taek stated that a previous apology from Ukraine fell short of Seoul's expectations.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine maintains that the prisoner transfer situation is resolved. The government of Ukraine has stated that "diplomacy must prevail over emotions" regarding the diplomatic row.
