20 October 2026
European partners voice unease over South Korea's rift with Ukraine Related Article How a humanitarian transfer of North Korean POWs became a row between Seoul and Kyiv 'Diplomacy over emotions': Kyiv seeks to mend ties with Seoul as POW transfer spat continues Europe's message to Seoul The cost of the spat A way out
Korea JoongAng Daily - Daily News from Korea
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European diplomats urge Seoul and Kyiv to resolve their dispute over North Korean POW transfers, with experts warning the spat could harm South Korea's broader relations with Europe, including defense ties.
South Korea said Tuesday it will withdraw about half of its staff from its embassy in Kyiv, escalating a dispute with Ukraine over the transfer of North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) that has already left European diplomats in Seoul uneasy.
"Even after the recall of our ambassador to Ukraine, there has been no forward-looking measure from the Ukrainian side, and with the threat of air strikes across Ukraine persisting and making it difficult to ensure safety, the government has decided to withdraw some of the embassy's staff," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Park Doo-soon said in a regular briefing.
Asked whether Seoul still wants a public apology, Park said, "There is no change in the position we previously requested." A Foreign Ministry official added that "the ball is in Ukraine's court."
The move follows Seoul's recall of its ambassador to Ukraine earlier this month, a step that has left European diplomats in Seoul uneasy, with some unsure why Seoul went to such lengths with a country it has backed since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.
Another year of Russian aggression against Ukraine
Diplomats from several European countries, speaking to the Korea JoongAng Daily on condition of anonymity, said they were concerned to see two close partners at odds, as the dispute could impact broader issues.
In particular, sources indicated that Seoul's feud with Kyiv cannot be viewed in isolation from Europe's own stake in Ukraine, which it has strongly backed.
Some described the recall as a strong, even emotional, response.
Others stressed that Europe has an interest in close ties between Seoul and Kyiv, given the need for more support for Ukraine amid the ongoing war with Russia. They noted it was up to Seoul and Kyiv to settle the dispute, though European partners would be ready to help if asked.
Seoul's Foreign Ministry said last week that about "three major European countries" — widely understood in South Korea to mean Britain, France and Germany — had offered to "play a role" in settling South Korea's dispute with Ukraine, though it declined to name the nations.
The Foreign Ministry official said Tuesday that Seoul has explained to European countries that its steps, including the recall, are a "diplomatic gesture" meant to pave the way for a smooth resolution.
The stakes for South Korea are also closely tied to broader security cooperation and to its growing arms sales to Europe.
Key European nations that have purchased South Korean tanks and rocket launchers since the war began want Seoul to maintain its backing for Kyiv. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump has been pushing Kyiv toward a settlement with Moscow, stating on Oct. 10 that Ukraine should "get a new leader who can make a deal."
South Korea recalled its ambassador to Ukraine, Park Ki-chang, on Oct. 8, marking its first recall of a top envoy in protest since 2008 and signaling how far relations between Seoul and Kyiv have soured.
A recall ranks above summoning a foreign envoy as a form of protest, stopping just short of cutting diplomatic ties.
The dispute began when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 23 that Ukraine had sent two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea. Seoul says the two sides agreed to keep the transfer confidential, while Kyiv says it interpreted the confidentiality arrangement differently.
In public, European governments have generally avoided taking sides.
A spokesperson for the British Embassy in Seoul said, "Ukraine and South Korea are both among our closest partners," adding that it was "not in a position to comment on the specifics of those conversations."
But they have been clear in urging Seoul to keep supporting Ukraine.
"We do this for Ukraine, but also for our own sec...
South Korea said Tuesday it will withdraw about half of its staff from its embassy in Kyiv, escalating a dispute with Ukraine over the transfer of North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) that has already left European diplomats in Seoul uneasy.
"Even after the recall of our ambassador to Ukraine, there has been no forward-looking measure from the Ukrainian side, and with the threat of air strikes across Ukraine persisting and making it difficult to ensure safety, the government has decided to withdraw some of the embassy's staff," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Park Doo-soon said in a regular briefing.
Asked whether Seoul still wants a public apology, Park said, "There is no change in the position we previously requested." A Foreign Ministry official added that "the ball is in Ukraine's court."
The move follows Seoul's recall of its ambassador to Ukraine earlier this month, a step that has left European diplomats in Seoul uneasy, with some unsure why Seoul went to such lengths with a country it has backed since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.
Another year of Russian aggression against Ukraine
Diplomats from several European countries, speaking to the Korea JoongAng Daily on condition of anonymity, said they were concerned to see two close partners at odds, as the dispute could impact broader issues.
In particular, sources indicated that Seoul's feud with Kyiv cannot be viewed in isolation from Europe's own stake in Ukraine, which it has strongly backed.
Some described the recall as a strong, even emotional, response.
Others stressed that Europe has an interest in close ties between Seoul and Kyiv, given the need for more support for Ukraine amid the ongoing war with Russia. They noted it was up to Seoul and Kyiv to settle the dispute, though European partners would be ready to help if asked.
Seoul's Foreign Ministry said last week that about "three major European countries" — widely understood in South Korea to mean Britain, France and Germany — had offered to "play a role" in settling South Korea's dispute with Ukraine, though it declined to name the nations.
The Foreign Ministry official said Tuesday that Seoul has explained to European countries that its steps, including the recall, are a "diplomatic gesture" meant to pave the way for a smooth resolution.
The stakes for South Korea are also closely tied to broader security cooperation and to its growing arms sales to Europe.
Key European nations that have purchased South Korean tanks and rocket launchers since the war began want Seoul to maintain its backing for Kyiv. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump has been pushing Kyiv toward a settlement with Moscow, stating on Oct. 10 that Ukraine should "get a new leader who can make a deal."
South Korea recalled its ambassador to Ukraine, Park Ki-chang, on Oct. 8, marking its first recall of a top envoy in protest since 2008 and signaling how far relations between Seoul and Kyiv have soured.
A recall ranks above summoning a foreign envoy as a form of protest, stopping just short of cutting diplomatic ties.
The dispute began when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 23 that Ukraine had sent two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea. Seoul says the two sides agreed to keep the transfer confidential, while Kyiv says it interpreted the confidentiality arrangement differently.
In public, European governments have generally avoided taking sides.
A spokesperson for the British Embassy in Seoul said, "Ukraine and South Korea are both among our closest partners," adding that it was "not in a position to comment on the specifics of those conversations."
But they have been clear in urging Seoul to keep supporting Ukraine.
"We do this for Ukraine, but also for our own sec...