South Korea has announced the recall of its ambassador to Ukraine as diplomatic tensions rise between the two countries. The move comes after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed last month that two North Korean prisoners of war defected to South Korea, a transfer that was supposedly secret.
Seoul accused President Zelenskyy of breaking a confidentiality agreement by making the transfer public knowledge at the UN. South Korea stated that the disclosure endangered the families of the prisoners in North Korea, where relatives of those who fall into enemy hands face punishment. While South Korea demanded an apology for the revelation, Ukraine has rejected the accusations.
The decision to recall the envoy follows threats from President Lee Jae Myung, who warned of unspecified punitive steps if Ukraine refused to apologize. Tensions have further escalated as South Korea urged Ukraine to cease making what it called incorrect and inappropriate allegations that South Korea was undermining sanctions against Moscow by helping alleviate Russia's fuel shortages.