South Korea might change its mind about military help to Ukraine - here's why

Ukrainian defence officials arrived in Seoul to discuss potential military support against Russian attacks. South Korea which mostly sends non-lethal aid now thinks about changing its approach due to North Koreaʼs actions

November 27 2024 , 06:30 AM  •  1394 views

South Korea might change its mind about military help to Ukraine - here's why

A high-level Ukrainian group headed by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov is now in Seoul looking for military back-up (as reported by several news outlets)

The team met with South Koreas National Security Adviser Shin Won-sik to talk about the Ukraine-Russia situation; theyʼre also set to meet with President Yoon Suk Yeol. However both the presidents office and defence ministry dont confirm these meet-ups

Last month Volodymyr Zelenskiy told Korean TV that Ukraine needs specific help: air-defence systems and artillery. During a recent meet-up with European defence leaders Umerov pointed out that Ukraine needs better air-defence to protect its buildings from Russian attacks

South Korea – which is now a big-time weapons maker – has been giving Ukraine only non-fighting stuff like mine-clearing tools. But Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul says theyʼre re-thinking this because of North Korea giving stuff to Russia; theyre watching what Pyongyang gets back from Moscow

  • Mine-clearing equipment
  • Non-lethal support items
  • Technical assistance
  • Humanitarian aid packages

The whole thing gets more complex because of North Korea: Seoul might change its mind about sending weapons to Ukraine – its watching how deep North Korea-Russia ties go