Why did South Korea recall Ambassador Park Ki-chang from Ukraine?

South Korea recalled Park Ki-chang to protest Ukraine’s disclosure of the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul and Kyiv’s subsequent denial that it had agreed to keep the matter confidential.

When and how did the two North Korean prisoners of war reach South Korea?

The soldiers were captured in January 2025 while fighting for Russia in the Kursk region and arrived in South Korea in mid-September. Zelenskyy later disclosed the transfer during an address to the U.N. General Assembly in New York.

What confidentiality dispute led to the diplomatic conflict between South Korea and Ukraine?

Seoul said Ukraine requested and agreed to keep the transfer confidential to protect the soldiers and their families in North Korea. South Korea accused Zelenskyy of breaching that understanding, while Kyiv said no such agreement existed.

S. Korean ambassador to Ukraine returns home amid dispute over NK POW disclosure

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Summary

South Korea’s ambassador to Ukraine returned home Saturday after Seoul recalled him over Kyiv’s disclosure of two North Korean prisoners of war transferred to South Korea. Ambassador Park Ki-chang arrived two days after the recall announcement. Seoul said Ukraine breached an understanding to keep the transfer confidential, while Kyiv denied such an agreement existed.

Key Facts

The two North Korean soldiers were captured in January 2025 while fighting for Russia in the Kursk region and arrived in South Korea in mid-September.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed the transfer during an address to the U.N. General Assembly in New York last month.
Seoul said confidentiality was requested to protect the soldiers and their families, who remain in North Korea.
South Korea’s recall of its ambassador as a protest was described as rare, with the previous such action occurring in 2008 involving its envoy to Japan.

By Yonhap

Published Oct 10, 2026 11:40 am KST

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, right, holds talks with his Ukrainian counterpart, Andrii Sybiha, second from left, in New York, Sept. 23, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. Courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs

South Korea's ambassador to Ukraine returned home Saturday after being recalled in protest of Kyiv's disclosure of the transfer of North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to Seoul, the foreign ministry said.

Ambassador Park Ki-chang arrived two days after the foreign ministry announced the recall in response to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's disclosure of the transfer and Kyiv's subsequent denial that it had agreed with Seoul to keep the matter confidential.

The two North Korean soldiers were captured in January 2025 while fighting for Russia in the Kursk region and arrived in South Korea in mid-September, according to officials here.

Seoul has said a non-disclosure agreement was reached with Kyiv at Ukraine's request to protect the soldiers and their families, who remain in North Korea, and that Zelenskyy breached the agreement when he revealed the transfer during an address to the U.N. General Assembly in New York last month.

Kyiv has said there was no such agreement.

It is rare for the government to recall an ambassador as a form of protest, and the last time South Korea did so was in 2008, when it recalled its envoy to Japan.

"We hope that various issues between the two countries will be resolved smoothly, and we will continue consultations with the Ukrainian side to that end," the foreign ministry said Thursday while announcing the recall.

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