South Korea to recall ambassador from Ukraine

Amid ongoing diplomatic friction following the transfer of North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea and the public disclosure of this information, Seoul has announced it will recall its ambassador from Ukraine, the BBC reports.The dispute arose in September when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced at the UN General Assembly that his government had sent two captured North Koreans to South Korea. Seoul claimed Zelensky had violated an agreement to keep the transfer of the prisoners of war confidential, while the Ukrainian President’s office maintains that no such agreement existed. The prisoners themselves had previously told local media that they wanted to go to South Korea.In September, South Korea’s Deputy Foreign Minister lodged an official complaint with his Ukrainian counterpart. This week, South Korea’s Foreign Minister stated that he had received an apology from Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, but that it had not met Seoul’s expectations.However, Heorhii Tykhyi, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, told the media on the 7th of October that Sybiha had not apologized. In a statement released on the 8th of October, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry indicated that it would continue consultations with the Ukrainian side and expressed hope for a smooth resolution to various issues.Zelensky’s public announcement regarding the transfer of North Koreans to Seoul drew criticism from the South Korean president, who described it as deeply regrettable and noted that the transfer of prisoners of war is a highly sensitive matter affecting national security.The dispute escalated when Zelensky’s office denied the existence of any confidentiality agreement. Seoul subsequently demanded an apology, stating that Ukraine’s actions had seriously undermined mutual trust between the two nations.Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Seoul has supported Kyiv but maintained its policy of not supplying lethal weapons to countries involved in active conflict. In July of this year, Seoul announced a 100 million dollar aid package for Ukraine.Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry has warned that it would have no choice but to respond if South Korea decides to supply weaponry to Ukraine.