South Korea to pull more embassy staff from Ukraine after POW row

South Korea’s foreign ministry announced it will remove additional embassy personnel from Ukraine after Kyiv failed to give a “constructive response” to a dispute over North Korean prisoners of war. The ministry’s spokesperson, Park Doo‑soon, said on Tuesday that Seoul had communicated its position to the Ukrainian authorities through several channels but had not received an adequate reply.

Earlier this month, Seoul recalled its ambassador from Kyiv following President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s remarks at the United Nations General Assembly, where he said Ukraine had transferred two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea. The disclosure upset the South Korean government, which argued that the transfer should have remained confidential to protect the families of the soldiers in North Korea.

“This measure was taken because we judged it necessary to facilitate an amicable resolution of the issue and restore trust between the two countries,” Park told a regular press briefing, without specifying how many staff members would be withdrawn. A charge d’affaires will remain in Kyiv to keep diplomatic channels open, and all consular staff will stay to assist South Korean nationals, Park added. He also cited ongoing threats of air strikes across Ukraine as a factor complicating staff safety.

Seoul had previously summoned the Ukrainian ambassador and warned of “further measures” without detailing them. Ukraine, for its part, said diplomacy must outweigh emotion in the bilateral relationship and claimed the matter was “resolved”. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun noted that Ukraine had sent an apology‑laden message after Zelenskyy’s remarks, but it fell short of the level Seoul expected.

Under South Korea’s constitution, all North Koreans are regarded as citizens of the Republic of Korea, and those who reach South Korean territory and seek to defect are generally permitted to remain.