South Korea has already recalled eight employees of its diplomatic mission from Ukraine. The decision was made against the backdrop of a dispute between Kyiv and Seoul regarding the disclosure of information on the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war, as well as due to the threat of Russian air strikes.
This was announced on October 27 by South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun during a parliamentary audit of the foreign ministry's activities, Yonhap reports.
According to the minister, as of October 27, eight embassy staff have already been recalled from Ukraine. At the same time, Seoul continues diplomatic contacts with Kyiv and has no plans to completely cease the operation of its mission.
Cho Hyun explained that the decision to reduce personnel was forced. The South Korean authorities believe that Ukraine has not taken sufficient steps to resolve the dispute that arose after the public announcement about the handover of prisoners of war.
As an additional reason, Seoul cites the constant threat of Russian missile and drone attacks, which makes ensuring the safety of diplomats difficult.
Despite the recall of staff, representatives of the embassy necessary for maintaining diplomatic relations and protecting South Korean citizens remain in Kyiv. In particular, consular personnel continue to work.
The minister also said he maintains direct contact with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga to find a solution.
At the same time, Cho Hyun did not rule out further escalation of the dispute. Answering questions from lawmakers, he acknowledged that if the current situation continues, the differences could pose serious risks to diplomatic relations between the two countries.
South Korea is not changing its overall policy of support for Ukraine. According to the minister, Seoul continues to provide humanitarian aid, participate in international initiatives to end the war, and support post-war reconstruction projects.
Reason for the diplomatic dispute
The conflict between Ukraine and South Korea began in late September after Volodymyr Zelenskyy's speech at the UN General Assembly.
On September 23, the President of Ukraine announced the transfer to South Korea of two North Korean soldiers who had been captured by Ukrainian forces in January 2025 during hostilities in Russia's Kursk region.
According to Seoul's data, the prisoners of war arrived in South Korea in mid-September 2026.
South Korean authorities claim that there was an agreement between the countries to keep the transfer secret. In Seoul's opinion, confidentiality was necessary to protect the soldiers themselves and their relatives who remained in North Korea.
The Ukrainian side denied the existence of such an agreement. President Zelenskyy's communications adviser Dmytro Lytvyn stated that Kyiv had not made any commitment to conceal the fact of the transfer of prisoners of war.
In October, Cho Hyun reported receiving a message from Andriy Sybiga containing an apology. However, the South Korean government deemed it insufficient.
On October 8, Seoul announced the recall of its ambassador to Ukraine, Park Ki-chang. On October 20, the South Korean Foreign Ministry reported the decision to further reduce embassy staff.
Cho Hyun's current statement for the first time clarifies the actual scale of this reduction - eight recalled employees.
At the same time, South Korea continues negotiations with Ukraine to resolve the differences. No rupture of diplomatic relations or cessation of aid to Kyiv has been reported.
Based on materials from: Yonhap, Ukrainska Pravda
