South Korea says it will withdraw some staff from its embassy in Kyiv, deepening a diplomatic row over Ukraine’s announcement last month of a transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war that Seoul says was meant to be secret. The South Korean Foreign Ministry said Tuesday the withdrawal was due to Ukraine’s “lack of constructive steps” to address Seoul’s grievances and concerns about safety amid intensifying Russian attacks. The diplomatic dispute between the countries began after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed the prisoners’ transfer during a U.N. speech. South Korea says that violated a nondisclosure agreement, but Ukraine denies it promised to keep the transfer secret. South Korea recalled its ambassador to Ukraine earlier this month in protest.
