South Korea recalls ambassador to Ukraine in POW row

Seoul is recalling its ambassador to Kyiv after Ukraine publicly disclosed the transfer of two captured North Korean soldiers, which South Korea says violated an agreement to keep it secret.

Why it matters: The spat puts Seoul's quietest channel on the Ukraine war, intelligence from captured North Korean troops fighting for Russia, at risk just as North Korea deepens its support for Moscow.

Data as of October 8, 2026. Single-sourced from BBC News; the disclosure timeline rests on each government's own account.

South Korea said Thursday it will recall its ambassador to Ukraine, the sharpest escalation yet in the row over two North Korean prisoners of war transferred from Ukrainian custody to Seoul. The dispute dates to last month, when President Zelensky publicly announced the transfer in a UN General Assembly address; Seoul says Kyiv broke an agreement to keep the handover secret, and President Lee Jae Myung condemned the disclosure.

The two soldiers were among the thousands of North Korean troops fighting alongside Russian forces in the war. Their debriefing is Seoul’s most direct window into the North’s battlefield role, and the recall signals how little trust the episode left between the two governments.

South Korea recalls ambassador to Ukraine in POW row

Sources