South Korea to recall Ukraine envoy in diplomatic dispute over prisoners of war | Russia-Ukraine War

South Korea and Ukraine have found themselves in a diplomatic row after President Zelensky revealed the alleged transfer of two North Korean soldiers.

South Korea has announced that it will recall its ambassador to kyiv following Ukraine’s recent disclosure of the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea.

Thursday’s South Korean announcement comes days after its President Lee Jae Myung threatened to take unspecified punitive measures if Ukraine refused to apologize following the revelation.

“The government has decided to recall its ambassador to Ukraine,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“The government hopes that all outstanding issues between the two countries will be resolved amicably and will continue consultations with the Ukrainian side to this end.”

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said it was open to resuming constructive dialogue despite South Korea’s decision.

“Despite Seoul’s decision to recall its ambassador, Ukraine remains “open to resuming a constructive dialogue, even if it will take” time, said a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, adding that kyiv believes that “diplomacy should prevail over emotions”.

South Korea and Ukraine became embroiled in a diplomatic row after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke about the transfer of North Korean soldiers during his speech to the United Nations General Assembly last month.

South Korea accused Ukraine of violating a confidentiality agreement over the transfer in mid-September, but kyiv denied agreeing to such an agreement.

These soldiers were among thousands of North Korean troops deployed to support Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Since their capture in early 2025, the soldiers have expressed a desire to resettle in South Korea because they could face persecution if repatriated to North Korea.

South Korea has said it will accept them because it legally considers the North part of its territory and has a policy of accepting and financially supporting North Korean defectors.

South Korean officials said the nondisclosure agreement was reached because they were concerned about the safety of North Korean soldiers and their relatives in the North.

There was no comment from North Korean state media on the transfer of the soldiers. But the North has already reacted with fury to major defections by its citizens, accusing South Korea of ​​kidnapping them. North Korea has avoided negotiations with South Korea and its main ally, the United States, and has focused on strengthening its nuclear program since 2019.

South Korea has provided $445 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine since 2022. In July, Lee pledged $100 million in aid to Ukraine during a meeting with Zelenskyy.