The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Korea announced on Tuesday, October 20, the partial withdrawal of its embassy personnel in Kyiv. Ministry official spokesperson Park Doo-sun announced this at a briefing. According to him, the decision was made for two reasons: the lack of a 'constructive response' from Kyiv in the dispute over the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war and the ongoing threat of airstrikes, which complicates ensuring the safety of diplomatic personnel. The exact number of recalled employees was not disclosed.
Diplomatic crisis: from recalling the ambassador to reducing the mission
The current step is a continuation of the growing diplomatic conflict between the two countries. Several weeks earlier, Seoul had already recalled its ambassador from Ukraine. As Park Doo-sun noted, this step also did not receive a 'positive response' from Kyiv. Despite the staff reduction, the South Korean embassy in Kyiv will continue its work — necessary diplomatic contacts will be maintained under the leadership of the chargé d'affaires. Park Doo-sun emphasized that the measure is aimed at 'facilitating a friendly resolution of the issue and restoring trust between the two countries.'
Roots of the conflict: Zelenskyy's speech at the UN General Assembly
The dispute between Seoul and Kyiv began on September 23, when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during a speech at the UN General Assembly, announced that Ukraine had transferred two North Korean soldiers who fought on Russia's side and were captured in the Kursk region to South Korea. Seoul stated that Kyiv violated the non-disclosure agreement regarding this information. The Office of the President of Ukraine, in turn, emphasized that no such agreement existed. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun subsequently stated that the apologies made by Ukraine 'did not meet Seoul's expectations.'
Kyiv's position: 'the parties interpreted the agreements differently'
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi earlier explained the reason for the misunderstanding by the fact that the parties interpreted confidentiality agreements differently. According to him, it was not about violating a specific agreement, but about a difference in understanding the discussion format. Nevertheless, according to the South Korean agency, Seoul 'repeatedly conveyed its position to the Ukrainian side through various channels,' but a response deemed sufficient was never received.
Security as an additional factor
In addition to the diplomatic dispute, Park Doo-sun cited the constant threat of strikes on the territory of Ukraine, which makes the normal security provision for mission employees impossible. This argument essentially legitimizes the staff reduction from the perspective of security protocol and allows Seoul to present the step as a forced, rather than exclusively political, measure.
