South Korea to recall its ambassador to Ukraine over North Korean POW dispute
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South Korea and Ukraine became embroiled in a diplomatic row after Zelenskyy spoke about the transfer of the North Korean soldiers during his U.N. speech on Sept. 23. South Korea has accused Ukraine of violating a nondisclosure agreement on their transfer in mid-September, but Kyiv has denied agreeing to such a deal.

The soldiers were among thousands of North Korean troops deployed to support Russia's war against Ukraine. Since their capture in early 2025, the soldiers had expressed their desires to resettle in South Korea, because they could face persecution if repatriated home. South Korea had said it would accept them, because it legally regards the North as part of its territory and has a policy of accepting and financially supporting North Korean defectors.

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