South Korea Pulls More Ukraine Embassy Staff After POW Row — SkimNews
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- South Korea's Foreign Ministry announced Oct. 20 it will withdraw additional embassy personnel from Ukraine, citing Kyiv's lack of a 'constructive response' in the North Korean POW dispute and a need to restore trust
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy breached a confidential understanding by telling the UN General Assembly that Ukraine had transferred two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea, Seoul said
- Seoul had already recalled its ambassador in October over the disclosure, which it said was meant to keep the transfer confidential to protect the soldiers and their families in the North
- A chargé d'affaires and all consular staff will remain in Kyiv to maintain diplomatic communication and protect South Korean nationals, ministry spokesperson Park Doo-soon said
- Seoul also cited ongoing air strike risks as making it difficult to ensure staff safety in Ukraine, in addition to the trust breakdown
- Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha told RBC-Ukraine last week that Kyiv considers the matter closed, attributing the row to 'differing interpretations' of the confidentiality arrangements and saying Ukraine fulfilled all its obligations
Why it matters: The downgrade leaves Ukraine without a senior Seoul diplomat during a period when Kyiv is trying to secure international backing against Russia — and despite Ukraine's insistence the matter is closed, South Korea is publicly framing the move as a trust failure, not just a security precaution.
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