FILE – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly at United Nations Headquarters, September 23, 2026.
Seth Wenig/AP
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Seth Wenig/AP
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea said Thursday it will recall its ambassador to Ukraine, intensifying protests over Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s recent revelation about the allegedly secret transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea.
The South Korean announcement comes days after its President Lee Jae Myung threatened to take unspecified punitive measures if Ukraine refused to apologize following the revelation.
The South Korean Foreign Ministry did not say when Ambassador Park Hee-chang would be returned to the country. A ministry statement said South Korea would continue consultations with Ukraine, adding that it hoped the dispute between the two countries would be resolved smoothly.
South Korea and Ukraine became embroiled in a diplomatic row after Zelensky spoke about the transfer of North Korean soldiers during his speech to the UN on September 23. South Korea has accused Ukraine of violating a non-disclosure agreement over their transfer in mid-September, but kyiv has denied agreeing to such a deal.
These soldiers were among thousands of North Korean troops deployed to support Russia’s war against Ukraine. Since their capture in early 2025, the soldiers had expressed a desire to resettle in South Korea because they risked persecution if returned home. South Korea has said it will accept them because it legally considers the North part of its territory and has a policy of accepting and financially supporting North Korean defectors.
South Korean officials said the nondisclosure agreement was reached because they were concerned about the safety of North Korean soldiers and their relatives in the North. But many experts say South Korea’s liberal government also fears that disclosing their arrival could harm its efforts to improve ties with North Korea.
North Korean state media has not commented on the soldiers’ transfer. But the North had already reacted with fury to the major defections of its citizens, accusing South Korea of kidnapping them. North Korea has avoided negotiations with South Korea and the United States and has focused on strengthening its nuclear program since 2019.
It is unclear what further steps South Korea would take. Experts say maintaining good relations with Ukraine is in South Korea’s national interest, as kyiv could provide Seoul with intelligence on North Korea’s growing cooperation with Russia and its experiences on the battlefield. They say cooperation with Ukraine is important to South Korea’s partnerships with many Western countries that support Ukraine during the war.
Observers say Zelensky revealed the transfer of North Korean prisoners of war to expose the danger of North Korea’s military support for Russia as a way to obtain more international aid.
South Korea has provided $445 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine since 2022. In July, Lee pledged $100 million in aid to Ukraine during a meeting with Zelenskyy,
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