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South Korea recalled its ambassador to Ukraine following President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s disclosure of a secret transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul during his UN speech on September 23. Kyiv denies violating any non-disclosure agreement, while Seoul claims such an agreement existed to protect the safety and relatives of the POWs in North Korea. Despite the tension, Ukraine remains open to "constructive dialogue" with South Korea, emphasizing diplomacy over emotions.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-09,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In January 2025, Ukraine captured two North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russia. After negotiations, the soldiers were quietly transferred to Seoul in September with both sides agreeing to keep it confidential. However, during his speech at the UN General Assembly in late October, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the transfer publicly, escalating tensions.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung accused Ukraine of violating a confidentiality agreement and endangering the soldiers' families still in North Korea. South Korea recalled its ambassador to Ukraine on November 14th as tensions escalated. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described it as a misunderstanding but did not apologize, leading Seoul to demand an official apology from Kyiv.
The dispute highlights broader geopolitical concerns including military technology sharing and diplomatic relations with North Korea.
Written for “South Korea Ukraine Diplomatic Row POWs” on 2026-10-09,
grounded in this article and the 6 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 67551 · logged 2026-10-09
Kyiv says it is open to “constructive dialogue” with Seoul despite its decision to recall its ambassador.
asserted
it → say → ambassador
South Korea’s decision comes just days after its president threatened to take punitive action against Zelenskyy’s violation of the non-disclosure agreement.
asserted
president → come → agreement
South Korea said on Thursday it will recall its ambassador to Ukraine, stepping up its protest against President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s recent revelation of a supposedly secret transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul.
asserted
it → say → Seoul
The South Korean announcement came days after its President Lee Jae Myung threatened to take unspecified punitive steps if Ukraine refuses to apologise over the revelation.
asserted
Ukraine → come → revelation
The Foreign Ministry in Seoul did not say when ambassador Park Ki-chang will be brought back home but acknowledged in a statement that it will continue consultations with Ukraine, adding that it hopes the dispute between the two countries would be resolved smoothly.
asserted
dispute → say → countries
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said Kyiv remains open to “constructive dialogue” despite Seoul’s decision to recall its ambassador.
asserted
Kyiv → say → ambassador
“Diplomacy must prevail over emotions,” he said in comments to Ukrainian media outlets.
asserted
he → prevail → outlets
South Korea and Ukraine became embroiled in a diplomatic row after Zelenskyy spoke about the transfer of the North Korean soldiers during his UN speech on 23 September.
asserted
Zelenskyy → embroil → September
Seoul has accused Kyiv of violating a non-disclosure agreement on their transfer in mid-September, but Kyiv has denied agreeing to such a deal.
asserted
Kyiv → accuse → deal
The soldiers were among thousands of North Korean troops deployed to support Russia’s war against Ukraine.
asserted
soldiers → deploy → Ukraine
Since their capture in early 2025, the soldiers had expressed their desires to resettle in South Korea, because they could face persecution if repatriated home.
uncertain
they → express → persecution
South Korea had said it would accept them, because it legally regards the North as part of its territory and has a policy of accepting and financially supporting North Korean defectors.
South Korean officials said the non-disclosure agreement was made because they were concerned about the safety of the North Korean soldiers and their relatives in the North.
But many experts say South Korea's liberal government likely also worries the disclosure of their arrival may hurt its efforts to improve ties with North Korea.
uncertain
disclosure → say → Korea
North Korea's state media hasn't commented on the soldiers' transfer, but the North previously reacted with fury to major defections of its citizens, accusing South Korea of kidnapping them.
asserted
North → comment → them
Pyongyang has shunned any talks with Seoul and the US and focused on bolstering its nuclear programme since 2019.
asserted
Pyongyang → shun → 2019
It's unclear what other steps South Korea would take.
uncertain
Korea → take → steps
Experts say maintaining good relations with Ukraine is in South Korean national interests because Kyiv could provide Seoul with intelligence about North Korea's expanding cooperation with Russia and its battlefield experiences.
uncertain
Kyiv → say → Russia
They say cooperation with Ukraine is important for South Korea's partnerships with many Western countries supporting Ukraine over the war.
asserted
cooperation → say → war
Observers say Zelenskyy disclosed the transfer of the North Korean POWs to expose the danger of North Korea's military support to Russia as a way to win more international assistance.
asserted
Zelenskyy → say → assistance
South Korea has provided $445 million (€396 million) in humanitarian assistance to Ukraine since 2022.
asserted
Korea → provide → 2022
In July, Lee pledged $100 million (€89 million) in aid to Ukraine in a meeting with Zelenskyy.
asserted
Lee → pledge → Zelenskyy
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