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South Korea recalled its ambassador to Ukraine on Wednesday over Kyiv’s public disclosure of the repatriation of two North Korean prisoners of war, in a continued public dispute between the two countries.
Seoul’s foreign ministry announced it was recalling ambassador Park Ki-chan, citing the unauthorised disclosure of information about the handover.
The ministry said it hoped to resolve outstanding issues through continued consultations and that the South Korean embassy in Kyiv would remain open.
The dispute began on 23 September, when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated at the UN General Assembly that North Korean soldiers captured fighting on Russia’s side had been repatriated.
Seoul argues the disclosure endangered the soldiers’ families in North Korea, where the regime is known to punish the relatives of defectors and those who fall into enemy hands.
Ukraine rejected the accusations. Zelenskyy’s adviser Dmytro Lytvyn said at the end of September that no confidentiality agreement existed.
“There was no such agreement, that is not true. And it would be wrong to conceal what happens to particular prisoners,” he wrote on social media.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described it as a diplomatic misunderstanding and expressed hope for a swift resolution.
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung had previously warned of “additional measures” if Kyiv did not acknowledge a breach of a confidentiality agreement and issue a public apology.
On Tuesday, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Seoul had received an apology from Ukraine, but it fell short of what his country expected.
Oil shipments to Russia a further complication
Reports indicate that South Korean ports shipped more than 176,000 tonnes of fuel oil, mostly diesel, to Russia in July and August, based on port documents and vessel-tracking data published by The Guardian.
Seven tankers, three of which are subject to UK and EU sanctions, made 14 voyages over the two-month period, according to reports.
Vladyslav Vlasjuk, Ukraine’s presidential envoy on sanctions policy, said the timing was no coincidence.
“These deliveries began precisely when Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries reduced processing volumes and caused a fuel shortage in the Russian Federation. In other words, imports from South Korea effectively helped Russia offset the consequences of losing its own refining capacity,” he wrote on social media.
Kyiv’s reaction came despite Seoul joining the coalition of countries that imposed enhanced export controls on Russia after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.
In 2024, South Korea expanded its list of controlled goods to more than 1,400 items and tightened restrictions on so-called Common High Priority Items, components Russia procures through third countries for use in missiles, drones and other weapons.
Seoul has also sanctioned Russian ships, companies and individuals involved in military cooperation with North Korea.
In response to reports, South Korea’s foreign ministry said Seoul “supports and is actively participating in global efforts to end the war in Ukraine and restore peace.”
It declined to comment on specific shipments or the arrival of sanctioned vessels, saying the country strictly observes its own export-control measures against Russia.