South Korea’s ambassador to Ukraine returns amid dispute over North Korean prisoners

South Korean Ambassador Park Ki-chang returned from Ukraine on October 10, two days after Seoul decided to recall him.

The dispute began after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that two North Korean soldiers captured while fighting for Russia had been sent to South Korea.

Seoul says the two countries had agreed to keep the transfer private to protect the prisoners and their families in North Korea.

Ukraine has disputed that there was such an agreement or said the two sides understood the situation differently.

South Korea has sought an official apology and says Ukraine’s response worsened the dispute.

The recall is a formal protest and, according to two reports, the first such recall since 2008; another describes it as the first since 2008, 18 years ago.

Seoul says it will continue talks with Ukraine, while Ukraine has said it remains open to resuming constructive dialogue.