South Korea has decided to recall its ambassador to Ukraine, Park Ki-chang, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Thursday. "We hope that all pending issues between the two countries will be resolved smoothly, and we will continue consultations with the Ukrainian side to that end," the ministry said.
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun told the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee during a national audit Tuesday that Seoul had received a message from Ukraine containing "words of apology," but added that it "falls somewhat short of what we consider adequate, and we intend to take firm action."
Seoul has been protesting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's decision to publicly disclose the repatriation of North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea, which the two sides had agreed to keep confidential. President Lee Jae Myung wrote on social media on Sept. 24 that he was "deeply disappointed." When Ukraine claimed no such confidentiality agreement had existed, Cheong Wa Dae rebuffed the assertion through a statement by its communications secretary, calling it "a false announcement."
The recall follows a series of escalating diplomatic protests. First Deputy Foreign Minister Park Yun-ju summoned Andriy Beshkin, Ukraine's chargé d'affaires in Seoul, on Sept. 28 to lodge a formal complaint. Recalling an ambassador ranks among the strongest tools of diplomatic protest, coming after direct communications, public statements and the summoning of the other country's envoy.
kty@heraldcorp.com
