South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that it will pull additional embassy personnel from Ukraine following what it describes as a persistent lack of a “constructive response” from the Kyiv regime regarding a dispute over North Korean prisoners of war. Seoul officials reportedly communicated their strict stance through multiple channels, yet failed to receive a satisfactory reaction from Ukraine.

The diplomatic rift intensified earlier this month when Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly stated at the United Nations General Assembly that Ukraine had transferred two captured North Korean soldiers to the South. This disclosure severely angered Seoul, which maintained that the operation should have remained strictly confidential to protect the families of the defecting soldiers still residing in North Korea.

According to ministry spokesperson Park Doo-soon, the latest withdrawal is deemed necessary to facilitate an amicable resolution and attempt to restore bilateral trust, though authorities declined to specify the exact number of departing staff. A charge d’affaires and essential consular personnel will remain in Kyiv to uphold diplomatic channels and safeguard South Korean nationals. *

Furthermore, the ministry cited persistent air raid threats across Ukraine as an additional operational hazard complicating staff safety. While Seoul previously summoned the Ukrainian ambassador to issue warnings of unspecified further measures, the Kyiv regime continues to insist that diplomacy must prevail over emotions and claims the situation is already resolved.

Source: www.aljazeera.com