South Korea's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on October 2 that the country will recall its ambassador in Kyiv, escalating diplomatic tensions with Ukraine after Kyiv disclosed the handover of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea.
According to the statement, the South Korean government decided to recall its ambassador to Ukraine and expressed hope that all outstanding issues between the two countries will be resolved through negotiation, adding that it will continue consultations with Ukraine to achieve that goal.
The decision came days after South Korean President Lee Jae Myung warned that unspecified sanctions would be imposed if Ukraine did not apologize for disclosing information about the prisoner transfer.
Tensions began in late September, when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned the transfer of the North Korean soldiers during a speech at the United Nations General Assembly. South Korea accused Ukraine of violating an agreement not to disclose information related to the mid-September handover, while Kyiv denied agreeing to any such arrangement.
The two soldiers are among thousands of North Korean troops deployed to support Russia in the war in Ukraine. Since being captured in early 2025, they have expressed a desire to be resettled in South Korea out of fear of repression if repatriated to North Korea.
South Korea had previously said it would take them in, citing the legal position that North Korea is part of its territory, while maintaining a policy of accepting and providing financial support to North Korean defectors. South Korean officials said the non-disclosure agreement was established to ensure the safety of the North Korean soldiers and their relatives in the North.
There has been no comment from North Korean state media on the transfer of the soldiers. However, Pyongyang has previously reacted fiercely to large defections by its citizens, accusing South Korea of abducting them. North Korea has refused all talks with South Korea and its key ally the United States, and has focused on strengthening its nuclear program since 2019.
For its part, South Korea has provided $445 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine since 2022. In July, President Lee pledged an additional $100 million in aid to Ukraine during a meeting with President Zelenskyy.
