Ukraine and South Korea are moving to mend diplomatic ties following a high-level meeting in Paris on Nov. 10.
The thaw follows a tense standoff over the disclosure of North Korean prisoners of war, which led Seoul to recall its ambassador and downgrade its diplomatic presence in Kyiv earlier this autumn.
The diplomatic rift emerged in late September after President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly revealed that Ukraine had transferred two captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea. The soldiers, who were reportedly fighting alongside Russian forces in the Kursk region since January 2025, became the center of a heated disagreement between Kyiv and Seoul.
According to the Kyiv Post, Seoul maintained that the transfer was subject to a strict confidentiality agreement meant to protect the individuals and their families in North Korea. Kyiv, however, disputed this account, asserting that Seoul had been informed of the intent to mention the transfer and that no sensitive operational details were disclosed.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha confirmed the shift on Nov. 10, showing a desire to return to a more productive partnership. Meeting on the sidelines of the G7 foreign ministers’ summit in Paris, Sybiha and his South Korean counterpart, Cho Hyun, discussed the normalization of relations.
“We deserve to have exceptionally dynamic and high-level bilateral relations with South Korea,” Sybiha stated via social media, as quoted by The Kyiv Independent. He added that Ukraine remains grateful for South Korea’s ongoing support for its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
While the meeting moves toward reconciliation, the road to full normalization is not yet complete. Sybiha acknowledged that “further steps lie ahead of us towards the full normalization of bilateral relations.”
The urgency of this repair is underscored by the recent cooling of ties; in late October, South Korea withdrew eight diplomatic personnel from its embassy in Ukraine, citing both the unresolved POW dispute and the security risks posed by ongoing Russian airstrikes.
| Milestone | Date | Key Event |
|---|---|---|
| Capture | January 2025 | Two North Korean soldiers captured in Kursk. |
| Disclosure | September 23, 2026 | President Zelensky mentions the transfer at the UN. |
| Recall | October 8, 2026 | South Korea recalls Ambassador Park Ki-chang. |
| Paris Talks | November 10, 2026 | Sybiha and Cho meet to begin normalization. |
The diplomatic friction between Kyiv and Seoul illustrates the challenges of managing relations between the two countries amid the ongoing war. For South Korea, the involvement of North Korean troops in the Ukraine conflict is not merely a distant concern but a direct threat to its own national security.
The Yahoo News reporting notes that domestic political pressure in Seoul played a significant role in the initial rift, as the government faced scrutiny over the confidentiality of the POW transfer.
As Russia and North Korea deepen their military cooperation, South Korea’s role as a partner remains important to Ukraine.
Despite the recent tensions, South Korean officials have consistently emphasized that their core support for Ukraine—including humanitarian aid and participation in reconstruction efforts—remains intact.
As of early November, essential diplomatic staff remain in Kyiv to assist South Korean nationals, and communication channels between the two foreign ministries have stayed open throughout the dispute. The talks in Paris indicate that both capitals are working toward the normalization of bilateral relations following a diplomatic disagreement that began in September.
