South Korea recalls ambassador to Ukraine as North Korean POW row deepens

South Korea will recall its ambassador to Ukraine, Park Hee-chang, the Foreign Ministry said on Thursday, escalating the row over the transfer of two captured North Korean prisoners of war. It is Seoul’s first ambassador recall since 2008, when it brought home its envoy to Japan over Tokyo’s renewed territorial claim to the Dokdo islets. Reuters The Korea Herald

The dispute began after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed the transfer of two captured North Korean soldiers during his UN General Assembly address last month. Seoul says both sides had agreed to keep the transfer confidential, and the disclosure endangered the soldiers’ families in North Korea; Kyiv denies any such agreement. CNA The Korea Herald

On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun told a parliamentary audit that Ukraine’s apology “fell short” of Seoul’s expectations, with firm measures — including recalling the ambassador — under consideration. “But there is a difference from the level we expect, so we intend to take firm measures,” he said. Seoul had already summoned Kyiv’s ambassador, and President Lee Jae Myung has demanded an official apology while threatening further measures. The Korea JoongAng Daily CNA

Fresh friction followed a Guardian report claiming petroleum shipments from South Korean ports had reached Russia. Vladyslav Vlasiuk, Ukraine’s sanctions policy commissioner, cited the report on Tuesday; Seoul’s presidential office rejected the claim on Wednesday as “inaccurate and inappropriate”, and the ministry said refined petroleum products such as diesel are not subject to South Korea’s export controls against Russia. The Korea Herald CNA