South Korea May Recall Ambassador Over Zelensky’s North Korean POW Disclosure

South Korea is considering recalling its ambassador to Ukraine after Kyiv’s apology over the disclosure of two North Korean prisoners’ transfer to Seoul failed to meet its expectations, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said. The dispute centers on President Volodymyr Zelensky’s September announcement at New York’s UN General Assembly that the two soldiers had been transferred to South Korea.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Seoul says both governments had agreed to keep the arrangement confidential to protect the men and their families in North Korea. Zelensky’s office later added that Seoul had been informed of Zelensky’s speech beforehand, and that the speech contains no identifiable information, save for the fact that the transfer took place. Speaking during a parliamentary audit of his ministry, Cho said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha had apologized in messages exchanged over the incident, according to South Korean outlet Yonhap. “Messages that I received (from Sybiha) included an apology,” Cho said. “But there is a difference from the level we expect, so we intend to take firm measures.” Cho said the government was considering several responses, including recalling South Korea’s ambassador to Ukraine, Park Hee-chang, an option proposed by a lawmaker. The minister said confidentiality had been agreed upon from the outset, saying Ukraine had initially requested that the transfer remain private. He cited concerns for the soldiers’ safety and that of their relatives, who remain in North Korea. Other Topics of Interest Ukraine, Germany Sign €8.5B in Defense Deals, Merz Pledges More Air Defense Support The 15 agreements cover missiles, drones, radars, and Patriot ammunition as Berlin seeks to bolster Ukraine’s defenses ahead of winter. Seoul demanded an official explanation and apology after Zelensky disclosed the transfer. Sybiha subsequently characterized the dispute as a “diplomatic misunderstanding” and expressed hope that it would be resolved soon. Ukrainian forces captured the two soldiers in January 2025 while they were fighting in Russia’s Kursk region alongside Moscow forces. A South Korean lawmaker said the two were transferred to the country in mid-September of 2026, according to Singapore’s CNA outlet. The two reportedly rejected the offer initially, soon after their capture, before opening up to the idea in late 2025. Asked why Zelensky had made the transfer public, Cho suggested the Ukrainian president might have wanted to demonstrate to the United Nations that Ukraine had acted appropriately as a liberal democracy. He added that this was his personal interpretation. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.