South Korea made the decision after recalling its ambassador over a week ago "did not elicit a positive response from Ukraine", Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Park Doo-soon told reporters on 20/10.

"Difficulties in ensuring the safety of staff amidst the prolonged risk of airstrikes across Ukraine were also a factor", Park added.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Park Doo-soon. Photo: Yonhap

Ukraine, meanwhile, asserted that in relations between the two countries, "diplomacy must be prioritized over emotion", adding that they consider "the issue resolved".

Last month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) that his country had handed over two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea, stating that they were individuals "not easily captured alive" while fighting in Russia's Kursk province.

Hours after Zelensky's statement, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung expressed dissatisfaction, as Seoul believed it was important to keep information about the handover of the two prisoners confidential.

North Korean soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces during clashes in Russia's Kursk province in 1/2025. Photo: Kyiv Independent

Lee accused Ukraine of unilaterally disclosing information about the transfer of the North Korean prisoners to South Korea, despite previously requesting Seoul to keep it secret. Ukraine, however, stated that the two countries had no agreement whatsoever regarding the confidentiality of the prisoner transfer.

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said mid-month that Ukraine had sent a message "containing an apology" regarding the "North Korean prisoner" incident, but this message had not yet reached the "level" Seoul expected.

South Korean intelligence agencies believed that the Ukrainian President might have decided to publicize the North Korean prisoner transfer news, hoping the move would generate South Korean public support for providing weapons and other forms of assistance to Kyiv.

Under the South Korean Constitution, all North Koreans are considered South Korean citizens. Officials stated that this also applies to North Korean soldiers captured in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. These soldiers were deployed by North Korea to Russia to assist in defending Kursk province against a Ukrainian offensive in late 2024.

Ngoc Anh (According to AFP, Reuters)