South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Tuesday that it will withdraw additional embassy personnel from Ukraine, citing a lack of a constructive response from Kyiv regarding a diplomatic dispute over North Korean prisoners of war.
Ministry spokesperson Park Doo-soon stated during a regular press briefing that Seoul had communicated its position through multiple channels without receiving a sufficient response from Ukrainian authorities. The decision follows the earlier recall of South Korea’s ambassador from Kyiv, a move triggered when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed to the United Nations General Assembly that Kyiv had transferred two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea.
The public disclosure strongly frustrated Seoul officials, who maintained that the delicate transfer operation should have remained confidential to protect the families of the soldiers still living in North Korea. Park explained that the latest reduction in personnel was deemed necessary to facilitate an amicable resolution and rebuild bilateral trust, though he declined to specify the exact number of staff members scheduled to depart.
Despite the drawdown, diplomatic communication will not be completely severed. A charge d’affaires and all necessary consular staff will remain in Kyiv to maintain open channels and protect South Korean nationals residing in the country. Park also noted that persistent air strike threats across Ukraine have increasingly complicated efforts to ensure the safety of embassy personnel.
Tensions arose after Seoul previously summoned the Ukrainian ambassador to lodge a formal protest and warned of unspecified further measures. In response, Ukraine maintained that diplomacy must prevail over emotions and declared that it considers the matter resolved.
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun stated earlier this month that Kyiv had transmitted a message containing words of apology regarding the disclosure of the prisoner transfer, but added that the response fell short of the level of accountability Seoul expected. Under South Korea’s constitution, all individuals originating from the Korean peninsula north of the 38th parallel are legally considered citizens of the Republic of Korea, and defectors reaching its territory are generally granted the right to stay.
