What happened
South Korea has recalled its ambassador to Ukraine due to a diplomatic dispute over the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul. The transfer was announced by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last month, which South Korea claims was done without keeping the agreement to maintain secrecy.
The two North Korean soldiers were captured by Ukraine while fighting for Russia in the Ukraine war. They had expressed their desire to be sent to South Korea. However, the disclosure of the transfer has led to a spat between the two countries, with South Korea accusing Ukraine of breaking an agreement and Ukraine denying the existence of a non-disclosure agreement.
The situation has escalated, with South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho Hyun stating that an apology from Ukraine's Foreign Minister fell short of expectations. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry has since denied that an apology was made. South Korea's Foreign Ministry has announced that it will continue consultations with Ukraine to resolve the outstanding issues.
The dispute has also drawn attention to South Korea's policy of not providing lethal weapons to countries engaged in active war, despite being sympathetic to Ukraine's situation. South Korea has provided non-lethal assistance to Ukraine, including a $100 million package announced in July.
