South Korea may reconsider its policy of refusing to supply lethal weapons to Ukraine
19 November 12:21
South Korea will determine its position on arms aid to Ukraine after discussions with the Ukrainian envoy who plans to visit Seoul. This was reported by Yonhap news agency, citing an official from the South Korean presidential administration.
The senior official, who accompanied President Yun Suk-young during his visit to Brazil for the Group of 20 summit, told reporters that the United States had informed South Korea of its decision to allow Ukraine to use long-range missiles to strike inside Russia, but, according to him, there had been no discussions between the two allies about South Korea providing weapons to Ukraine.
“As allies, South Korea and the United States can exchange necessary weapons if necessary. However, I would like to clarify that no decisions have been made and no detailed discussions have been initiated, particularly regarding Ukraine,” the official said.
At the same time, the South Korean president’s entourage clarified that South Korea will determine its position on arms assistance to Ukraine after discussions with the Ukrainian envoy who plans to visit Seoul and is expected to coordinate support related to the ongoing war.
Earlier, President Yun Suk-yol stated that South Korea may reconsider its policy of not supplying lethal weapons to Ukraine, and this would depend on the extent of military cooperation between North Korea and Russia.
It has been suggested that if Russia and North Korea continue to develop military cooperation, it will be necessary to help Ukraine “strengthen its self-defense capabilities.”
Trump’s victory may affect South Korea’s position
According to Bloomberg, citing its sources, Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election is forcing South Korea to rethink the possibility of sending weapons directly to Ukraine.
According to the official, who wished to remain anonymous while discussions continue, President Yun Suk-young’s government should take into account the position of the US president-elect when deciding whether to change its policy of refusing to supply lethal aid to Kyiv.
Another government official also said that official Seoul is assessing how Trump’s approach to the war will affect support for Ukraine among a number of other countries.
According to Kim Jong, a professor of political science at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, “It would be quite awkward for South Korea, which is not even a NATO member, to intervene when Trump moves into the White House and wants to withdraw from the conflict.”
