North Korean authorities have recalled their ambassador to the United Kingdom for consultations in protest against sanctions imposed on a children’s camp where displaced Ukrainian children are allegedly being indoctrinated.
The North Korean Embassy in London confirmed to the publication NK News that Pyongyang has recalled Ambassador Mun Myong-sin, downgrading bilateral relations to the level of chargé d’affaires until sanctions against the Songdowon International Children’s Camp are lifted.
According to the diplomatic mission, the move is a direct response to an “extremely provocative act” by the British government, which Pyongyang accused of enforcing “atrocious, unethical, and politically motivated” sanctions.
The United Kingdom announced sanctions in early May that included freezing the assets of the Songdowon camp, located in the coastal city of Wonsan, for its alleged involvement in the forced relocation and re-education of Ukrainian minors.
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The British government stated that the facility participates in and supports the Russian government’s program for the forced deportation and re-education of Ukrainian children, an operation that undermines Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence.
Following the announcement, the North Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement claiming the sanctions aimed to tarnish North Korea’s image and its friendly relations with Moscow by unjustifiably linking the center to the “baseless issue of forced displacement.”
The ministry added that the British government would be held entirely responsible for all consequences arising from its hostle act against North Korea, according to reports published by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Meanwhile, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine has documented over 1,200 transfers of Ukrainian children by Russia, concluding that these forced relocations constitute crimes against humanity.
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The government in Kyiv, which has denounced thousands of child abductions from occupied territories since the beginning of the Russian invasion, previously accused Russia of sending Ukrainian minors to Russia, Belarus, and North Korea.
According to a report by the Ukrainian NGO Regional Center for Human Rights, which was presented to the United States Senate, at least two Ukrainian minors were identified as having been taken to the Songdowon camp: 12-year-old Misha and 16-year-old Liza.
