South Korea will consider supplying weapons to Ukraine after North Korea and Russia signed a pact on mutual defense in case of war.
Points of attention
- Plans to provide arms to Ukraine from South Korea are the result of strategic shifts in defense policy.
- There are legal restrictions on the direct supply of weapons to Ukraine from South Korea, but mediation options through other countries are possible.
- The agreement between North Korea and Russia on mutual defense caused serious concern and reaction from other states.
- The probable supply of weapons to Ukraine from South Korea calls into question stability not only in the region, but also in international relations.
South Korea can supply weapons to Ukraine
As National Security Adviser Chang Ho-jin said, South Korea plans to review the issue of providing weapons to Ukraine.
The publication emphasises that Chan hinted at a change in South Korea's policy of not providing lethal aid to Ukraine.
The official said that South Korea will maintain strategic uncertainty regarding the types of weapons.
Chang said that specific measures would be revealed later, and it would be interesting to see how Russia would react rather than reveal our plans in advance.
The South Korean politician also expressed "serious concern" and condemned the signing of a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement between North Korea and Russia, which is aimed at strengthening mutual military and economic cooperation.
He emphasised that any cooperation that directly or indirectly contributes to the military strengthening of North Korea is a violation of UN Security Council resolutions and will be subject to international investigation and sanctions, and he promised to take appropriate measures.
It is also reported that South Korea will introduce additional sanctions against four ships, five organizations and eight individuals involved in the transfer of weapons and oil between Russia and North Korea.
What preceded it
North Korea and Russia revived a Cold War-era deal when Putin and Kim Jong Un met in Pyongyang this week and agreed to provide military aid if attacked.
South Korea is one of the countries that does not supply weapons to Ukraine directly due to legal restrictions.
However, in 2023, Seoul allowed the expansion of aid to Kyiv if Ukraine were to suffer a large-scale attack on the civilian population.
At the same time, South Korean weapons were already arriving in Ukraine through intermediaries. In particular, the USA bought weapons for Ukraine from South Korea and delivered them through the Czech Republic.
