Seoul, Kyiv must resolve diplomatic spat

South Korea's ambassador to Ukraine, Park Ki-chang, returned home on Saturday following a request from President Lee Jae Myung. The ambassador's recall came after Ukraine disclosed that two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) taken alive in 2025 were now residing in South Korea. This action is considered one of the strongest diplomatic measures a country can take, following the more extreme steps of expelling an ambassador or formally ending ties.

South Korea's last such move was in 2008 when it recalled its ambassador to Japan over the Dokdo islet dispute.

The current strain on relations between South Korea and Ukraine stems from Seoul's surprise and displeasure at Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, making the unilateral announcement during a United Nations speech. The disclosure stated that the North Korean POWs had been transferred to South Korea, a revelation that caught Seoul off guard.

Over the following weeks, Ukraine maintained its denial of the claim. Despite the cooperation between the two nations thus far, particularly during Ukraine's four years of war following Russia's invasion, South Korea is deeply frustrated with the current situation.