South Korea recalls Ukraine envoy over North Korean POW disclosure

South Korea said Thursday it will recall its ambassador to Ukraine after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly disclosed the transfer of two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea, escalating a dispute over whether the countries had agreed to keep the move secret.

The announcement came days after South Korean President Lee Jae Myung threatened unspecified punitive steps unless Ukraine apologized. Seoul says Zelenskyy violated a nondisclosure agreement when he discussed the transfer during a Sept. 23 speech at the United Nations. Kyiv denies agreeing to keep it confidential.

“The government has decided to recall its ambassador to Ukraine,” South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. It did not say when Ambassador Park Hee-chang would return. The ministry said it would keep talking with Kyiv: “The government hopes that all outstanding issues between the two countries will be resolved amicably and will continue consultations with the Ukrainian side to that end.”

The two soldiers were among thousands of North Korean troops deployed to support Russia’s war against Ukraine. Captured in early 2025, they expressed a desire to resettle in South Korea rather than return to the North, where they could face persecution. They were transferred in mid-September, according to South Korea.

South Korea had said it would accept the men. It legally regards North Korea as part of its territory and has a policy of accepting and financially supporting North Korean defectors.

South Korean officials said they sought confidentiality out of concern for the soldiers and their relatives in North Korea. The dispute now centers on whether Ukraine agreed to that condition: Seoul says it did, while Kyiv says it did not.

North Korean state media has not commented on the transfer. The North has previously accused South Korea of kidnapping its citizens after major defections. It has shunned talks with South Korea and the United States since 2019 while focusing on strengthening its nuclear program.

It is unclear whether Seoul will take further steps against Kyiv. NPR reported that some experts see continued cooperation with Ukraine as important to South Korea because Kyiv could provide intelligence on North Korea’s growing cooperation with Russia and its soldiers’ battlefield experience. Those experts also said ties with Ukraine matter to South Korea’s partnerships with Western countries supporting Kyiv.

NPR reported that some observers believe Zelenskyy raised the transfer to highlight the risks posed by North Korea’s military support for Russia and seek more international assistance. Ukraine has not agreed with South Korea’s account of a confidentiality deal.

South Korea has provided $445 million in humanitarian assistance to Ukraine since 2022. In July, Lee pledged another $100 million in aid during a meeting with Zelenskyy. The two governments say they will continue consultations despite the decision to recall the ambassador.