South Korea to Withdraw Some Kyiv Embassy Staff as Row Over POW Transfer Deepens

South Korea said Tuesday it will withdraw some staff from its embassy in Kyiv, deepening a diplomatic row over Ukraine's announcement last month of a transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war that Seoul says was meant to be secret. The diplomatic dispute between the countries began after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed the prisoners’ transfer during a Sept. 23 speech at the United Nations. South Korea has accused Ukraine of violating a nondisclosure agreement, but Ukraine denies the countries reached such a deal, further angering Seoul.


