The South Korean government has decided to withdraw additional embassy staff following the recall of its ambassador to Ukraine in protest over the public disclosure of the repatriation of North Korean prisoners of war (POWs).

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Park Du-sun stated in a regular press briefing today (October 20), "The government has decided to withdraw some diplomatic mission staff, taking into account the ongoing threats of airstrikes across Ukraine that make it difficult to guarantee safety, while the Ukrainian side has taken no forward-looking measures even after the ambassador to Ukraine was recalled."

Spokesperson Park added, "Even during the withdrawal, necessary diplomatic communication between the two countries will continue under the leadership of the chargé d'affaires," and that "all consular staff will remain to do their utmost to protect overseas citizens."

When asked if the staff withdrawal was intended as a diplomatic protest, Park replied, "We have already conveyed our government's position to Ukraine through various channels, and under these circumstances, we assessed that there was no forward-looking measure, leading to this decision."

The government previously recalled South Korean Ambassador to Ukraine Park Ki-chang on October 8.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy publicly disclosed the repatriation of two North Korean POWs to South Korea during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly on September 23, local time.

The South Korean government expressed regret, stating that the two nations had an agreement to keep the POW repatriation confidential, but Ukraine breached it by disclosing it unilaterally.

However, after Ukrainian sources claimed that "there was no agreement to keep it confidential," Seoul escalated its response by summoning Ukraine's chargé d'affaires to South Korea on September 28, recalling its ambassador to Ukraine, and ultimately deciding to withdraw a portion of its embassy staff.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not disclose the exact number of personnel being withdrawn from the embassy in Ukraine, saying it could not be made public.

However, an official said that approximately half of the mission's staff are scheduled to be withdrawn.

Chargé d'Affaires Yoon Ji-wan will remain to maintain minimal political and diplomatic functions.

South Korea has previously withdrawn mission personnel in cases such as the embassy in Libya in 2015 and the embassy in Afghanistan in 2021, but those were all due to deteriorating local security situations.

Although the Foreign Ministry cited "persistent risks of airstrikes across Ukraine" as the reason for this withdrawal, critics point out that this lacks persuasiveness because that situation has persisted ever since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in 2022.

The government had not withdrawn any embassy staff during the war until now.

Regarding the war situation in Ukraine, a Foreign Ministry official said, "While it is difficult to compare quantitatively, it is true that it is serious, and the decision was made including measures related to bilateral issues."

The official added, "We notified the Ukrainian side (of the withdrawal decision) in advance through diplomatic communication channels."

In line with the partial withdrawal of mission staff, the Foreign Ministry plans to advise local South Korean residents to evacuate promptly and assist those who wish to leave in safely moving to neighboring countries before or at the time of the staff withdrawal.

The South Korean Embassy in Ukraine plans to survey evacuation demand among roughly 85 South Korean nationals identified through today's daily safety check.

The specific timeline for the embassy staff's withdrawal has not yet been set.

The government views Ukraine's pledge of a "clear explanation, an apology, and measures to prevent recurrence" as conditions for resolving the situation.

The "forward-looking measures" mentioned by Spokesperson Park are interpreted as Ukraine announcing or conveying a stance containing these conditions.

A Foreign Ministry official said it would be difficult for embassy personnel to return in the absence of forward-looking actions from the Ukrainian side.

Ukraine has indirectly signaled that it has no intention to apologize, with Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stating on October 12, local time, following South Korea's recall of its ambassador, that he considers the controversy "a closed matter."

Regarding the possibility of reviewing additional measures if the current standoff continues, the Foreign Ministry official stated, "It is not desirable for measures to continue," adding, "These measures are intended to urge Ukraine to understand our stern position, and the ultimate focus is placed on seeking an amicable resolution between both countries."

He added that South Korea's willingness to provide humanitarian and reconstruction aid to Ukraine "remains unchanged."

(Photo: Yonhap News)