Seoul to withdraw half of embassy staff from Ukraine as POW disclosure dispute deepens

What happened: South Korea's Foreign Ministry said it will withdraw roughly half of its embassy personnel from Ukraine, citing Kyiv's lack of constructive steps after the ambassador's recall and persistent airstrike threats. Why it matters: The move deepens a dispute that began when Seoul accused Kyiv of breaching a confidentiality agreement on the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war. Seoul says Ukraine's message of apology fell short of what it expected.

South Korea's Foreign Ministry said it will withdraw roughly half of its embassy personnel from Ukraine, citing Kyiv's lack of constructive steps after the ambassador's recall and persistent airstrike threats.

The move deepens a dispute that began when Seoul accused Kyiv of breaching a confidentiality agreement on the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war. Seoul says Ukraine's message of apology fell short of what it expected.