South Korea reduces Kyiv embassy staff amid diplomatic tension over POW transfer dispute

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea announced on Tuesday that it will withdraw a portion of its embassy personnel from Kyiv, deepening a diplomatic dispute following Ukraine’s disclosure last month of a transfer involving two North Korean prisoners of war that Seoul claims was intended to remain confidential.

The diplomatic rift originated when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed the transfer of the prisoners during a speech at the United Nations on September 23. South Korea has accused Ukraine of breaching a non‑disclosure agreement, while Kyiv maintains that no such agreement existed, intensifying Seoul’s displeasure.

In response, South Korea recalled its ambassador to Ukraine earlier this month. 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 explained on Tuesday that the reduction of embassy staff was prompted by Ukraine’s “lack of constructive steps” to address Seoul’s concerns, as well as safety considerations amid escalating Russian assaults.

Park did not specify the number of personnel to be withdrawn or the timing. He indicated that South Korea would retain its chargé d’affaires and essential staff in Kyiv to sustain communication with Ukrainian authorities and provide assistance to South Korean nationals.

“We are still maintaining communication, and, as I mentioned earlier, our goal is to seek an amicable resolution through close consultation with the Ukrainian side,” Park said. “We have conveyed our clear position and requests on the outstanding issues to Ukraine through various channels. It is now up to the Ukrainian side to respond or take appropriate action.”

The two soldiers transferred by Ukraine to South Korea were part of the thousands of North Korean troops sent to bolster Russia’s campaign against Ukraine. Captured in early 2025, they expressed in media interviews a desire to resettle in South Korea, citing fears of persecution upon return to the North. South Korea, whose constitution claims legitimacy over the entire Korean Peninsula, has a longstanding policy of accepting and financially supporting North Korean defectors.

South Korean officials stated that the non‑disclosure agreement was meant to safeguard the soldiers and their relatives in North Korea. However, some analysts suggest that President Lee Jae Myung’s liberal administration may also have been concerned that publicizing the arrival could jeopardize its efforts to enhance relations with the North.

North Korea’s state media has not commented on the transfer of the soldiers. The North has historically reacted with fury to high‑profile defections, occasionally accusing South Korea of abducting its citizens.

Inter‑Korean relations have sharply deteriorated in recent years, with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un adopting a hard‑line posture toward Seoul, severing inter‑Korean ties and accelerating his nuclear weapons program amid a diplomatic impasse with Washington.

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