South Korea to Withdraw Half of Embassy Staff in Ukraine

South Korea will withdraw about half of its embassy personnel from Ukraine, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday, citing both a diplomatic dispute over the disclosure of two North Korean prisoners’ transfer and continuing security threats. The move will reduce the embassy’s staffing, but a chargé d’affaires and consular personnel are to remain in Kyiv to maintain diplomatic communication and assist South Korean nationals. The ministry has not specified how many staff will leave or when the withdrawal will take place. It said the timing would depend on security conditions and diplomatic consultations with Ukraine. South Korea has notified the Ukrainian government of its decision. The dispute began after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed at the United Nations General Assembly on September 23 that Ukraine had transferred two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea. Seoul says the transfer was covered by an understanding that it would remain confidential and that Ukraine’s public disclosure breached that understanding. Ukrainian officials deny that a confidentiality agreement existed. South Korea recalled Ambassador Park Kichang following the disclosure. He...