South Korea to withdraw about half its Ukraine embassy staff amid POW dispute
Seoul cites Ukraine’s response to a dispute over two North Korean prisoners of war and the danger from Russian airstrikes. Consular staff will remain.
South Korea decided on Tuesday, October 20, to withdraw roughly half its embassy staff from Ukraine, citing a dispute over Kyiv’s disclosure of a North Korean prisoner transfer and continuing airstrike threats. The Foreign Ministry said consular staff would remain to assist South Korean nationals, while the date of the withdrawal has yet to be set.
The decision extends Seoul’s protest over Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s public disclosure that two North Korean prisoners of war had been transferred to South Korea. Seoul says the governments had agreed to keep the transfer confidential. Zelenskyy’s office has denied that such an agreement existed, Yonhap reported.
Why Seoul is reducing its embassy staff
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Park Doo-soon said Ukraine had not taken ‘positive steps’ to settle the dispute, according to Yonhap. Seoul has sought an official explanation, an apology and assurances that the disclosure will not happen again. Yonhap reported that Kyiv had not formally responded to those demands.
Park also cited continuing Russian airstrikes, which he said made it difficult to ensure the safety of diplomatic personnel. A ministry official told The Korea Herald that the withdrawal’s timing would depend on security conditions and diplomatic consultations. The ministry has not disclosed the number of staff who will leave, beyond officials’ estimate of roughly half.
The decision follows Seoul’s recall of its ambassador to Ukraine, Park Ki-chang, earlier this month. He returned to South Korea on October 10, The Korea Herald reported. Seoul has notified Ukraine of the staff withdrawal, according to the newspaper.
Consular help for South Koreans in Ukraine
South Korea plans to maintain diplomatic contact through its chargé d’affaires in Kyiv, while consular personnel stay in Ukraine. The ministry said the embassy would continue issuing safety updates and helping South Koreans who wish to evacuate. The Korea Herald reported that 85 South Korean nationals, excluding embassy staff, were in Ukraine on Tuesday afternoon.
According to Yonhap, the two North Korean soldiers were captured in January 2025 while fighting for Russia in the Kursk region and arrived in South Korea in mid-September. Zelenskyy disclosed their transfer in an address to the United Nations General Assembly on September 23, The Korea Herald reported. The dispute over that disclosure remains unresolved as Seoul prepares to reduce its presence in Ukraine.
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Sources and context
- Seoul to withdraw half of embassy staff from Ukraine as POW disclosure dispute deepensThe Korea Herald (article carries Yonhap photo credit; reporting by Kim Min-jung)
- (2nd LD) S. Korea to withdraw some embassy staff from Ukraine amid N.K. POW disputeYonhap News Agency
- (LEAD) S. Korea to withdraw some embassy staff from Ukraine amid N.K. POW disputeYonhap News Agency; syndicated from the later Yonhap update
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.