South Korea will withdraw roughly half the staff at its embassy in Kyiv, citing Ukraine’s failure to take what Seoul calls constructive steps in a dispute over two North Korean prisoners of war and the growing danger from Russian airstrikes. The foreign ministry said the timing has not been set, but the departing personnel are expected to help South Korean nationals leave for neighboring countries first.
The dispute began after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed during a Sept. 23 United Nations address that Ukraine had transferred the two soldiers to South Korea. Seoul says both countries had agreed to keep the transfer confidential to protect the soldiers and relatives still in North Korea. Ukraine denies that such an agreement existed. A South Korean diplomat told lawmakers that the two sides had agreed to preserve confidentiality for as long as possible, but had not discussed when the information would eventually be made public.
The soldiers were captured in January 2025 while fighting for Russia in the Kursk region and arrived in South Korea in mid-September. Seoul has demanded an official explanation, an apology and safeguards against a repeat disclosure. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said he received a message from Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha that included an apology but did not meet South Korea’s expectations. Sybiha has described the controversy as closed, while Ukraine has also said it remains open to dialogue. South Korea recalled its ambassador, Park Ki-chang, earlier this month and will now maintain diplomatic contact through its charge d’affaires.
The embassy’s consular staff will remain in Ukraine to issue safety updates, assist South Korean citizens and coordinate evacuations. Officials said the embassy planned to check whether about 85 South Koreans in the country wanted to leave. The highest-level travel advisory remains in effect nationwide. The partial withdrawal leaves the diplomatic channel open while Seoul continues seeking a resolution to the confidentiality dispute.