South Korea Pulls More Diplomats From Kyiv Over Secret Prisoner Transfer Dispute

South Korea said Tuesday that it will withdraw some staff from its embassy in Kyiv, escalating a diplomatic dispute with Ukraine over two North Korean prisoners of war. Seoul says Ukraine should have kept their transfer to South Korea secret, but Kyiv disputes that any such promise was made.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Park Doosoon said the move reflects Ukraine's failure to take constructive steps on Seoul's complaints, as well as safety concerns as Russian attacks intensify, according to ABC News. He did not say how many staff would leave or when.

What South Korea announced

Park told a regular briefing that the step was meant to help bring about a friendly resolution and restore trust between the two countries, Al Jazeera reported. South Korea will keep its charge d'affaires in Kyiv to maintain contact with Ukrainian authorities. ABC News said essential personnel will also stay to help South Korean citizens, while Al Jazeera reported that all consular staff will remain.

Park said Seoul had communicated its position and requests through various channels. He said it is now up to Ukraine to respond or act, though communication continues and Seoul still wants a resolution through close consultation.

The withdrawal follows an earlier protest. South Korea recalled its ambassador to Ukraine earlier this month. Al Jazeera reported that Seoul had also summoned the Ukrainian ambassador and warned of unspecified further measures.

How the dispute began

The row started when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed the transfer of the two prisoners during a Sept. 23 speech at the United Nations. South Korea accuses Ukraine of breaking a nondisclosure agreement. Ukraine denies that the two countries reached one, which has further angered Seoul, according to ABC News.

South Korean officials said the secrecy was meant to protect the soldiers and their relatives in North Korea. Some experts told ABC News that President Lee Jae Myung's liberal government may also have worried that publicity could undermine its efforts to improve relations with North Korea.

The two men were among thousands of North Korean troops sent to support Russia's war against Ukraine. They were captured in early 2025 and said in media interviews that they wanted to resettle in South Korea because they feared persecution if sent back to the North.

What Ukraine has said

Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said Kyiv remains open to constructive dialogue and that “diplomacy must prevail over emotions.” According to Al Jazeera, Ukraine has also said it considers the situation resolved.

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said earlier this month that Ukraine had sent a message that included words of apology over the disclosure. He said it did not reach the level Seoul had in mind, Al Jazeera reported.

Why it matters for South Korean citizens and the region

For South Korean nationals in Ukraine, the embassy's scaled-back presence means a smaller team, but Seoul says a charge d'affaires and staff to assist its citizens will remain. Park cited persistent threats of air strikes across Ukraine as a reason it has become hard to guarantee diplomats' safety, according to Al Jazeera.

The dispute also touches a sensitive issue on the Korean Peninsula. South Korea's constitution claims to be the legitimate government of the entire peninsula and treats all North Koreans as citizens. Those who reach South Korean territory and seek to defect are generally allowed to stay. South Korea has long accepted North Korean defectors and given them financial support, ABC News reported.

North Korea's state media has not commented on the transfer, according to ABC News. The North has previously reacted angrily to high-profile defections, sometimes accusing Seoul of kidnapping its citizens. Relations between the two Koreas have deteriorated sharply in recent years. Leader Kim Jong Un has taken a hard line toward Seoul and moved to cut inter-Korean ties while accelerating his nuclear weapons program, amid a diplomatic stalemate with Washington.

What to watch next

South Korea has not said when the staff reductions will happen or how large they will be. Park said Seoul is waiting for Ukraine to respond to its requests on the pending issues, while Kyiv says it regards the matter as settled. Reports differ on whether the two sides see any common ground, but both say they favor dialogue.

Around Prague, based on reporting by ABC News, Al Jazeera