Seoul is recalling the head of its diplomatic mission to Ukraine after a scandal over North Korean prisoners of war. Kyiv earlier called the situation a diplomatic misunderstanding, but in South Korea such apologies were considered insufficient.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea has decided to recall the head of its diplomatic mission to Ukraine. The corresponding statement was published on Thursday on the official website of the country’s foreign ministry.
Seoul had earlier received apologies from the Ukrainian side for the disclosure of confidential information about the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war. Kyiv described the incident as a “diplomatic misunderstanding,” but South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun called such apologies insufficient.
Last month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly announced that Kyiv had handed over two captured citizens of the DPRK. The office of the Ukrainian leader initially denied that any confidentiality agreement existed. At the same time, Cho Hyun stressed that a non-disclosure agreement had been reached from the very beginning precisely at the request of the Ukrainian side. This was necessary in order to protect the servicemen themselves and their families remaining in North Korea.
