South Korean President Pledges to Increase Military Aid to Ukraine

During a visit to Kyiv to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky on July 15, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said that his country will provide a larger shipment of military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine in the coming time.

Mr. Yoon and his wife's surprise trip to Ukraine comes after he attended a NATO summit in Lithuania and visited Poland, where he expressed support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.

In a press conference with Zelensky late on July 15, Yoon said South Korea plans to provide “larger-scale military supplies” to Ukraine this year, after providing non-lethal supplies such as body armor and helmets last year. He did not provide further details.

In early July, the South Korean president also revealed that the country's government was preparing to send mine clearance equipment, ambulances and other non-military materials to Ukraine at the request of the European country, and would participate in NATO's aid fund for Ukraine.

South Korea also plans to provide Ukraine with $150 million in humanitarian aid this year, up from $100 million last year, Yoon said.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol (center), first lady Kim Keon Hee and Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin (right) visit the town of Bucha, outside Kiev, where mass graves were discovered after Russian troops withdrew in 2022. Photo: siouxlandproud.com

Mr. Yoon said that he and the Ukrainian president agreed to cooperate in post-conflict reconstruction efforts in Ukraine, and that South Korea would establish a scholarship fund named after Mr. Yoon and Mr. Zelenskyy to expand support for Ukrainian students in South Korea.

For his part, Mr. Zelensky thanked Seoul for its “unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” as well as the “significant political , security, economic and humanitarian assistance” it has provided since the conflict began.

Yoon's visit is significant because few other Asian leaders have visited Ukraine, said Ramon Pacheco Pardo, chair of research at the Brussels School of Management.

The extent of the policy shift toward providing more assistance to Ukraine remains to be seen, but the trip shows Kiev's acceptance of Seoul's aid so far, Pardo said.

“He went to Ukraine because Mr. Zelensky allowed him to do it, and because he felt that South Korea had done enough to ensure that,” Mr. Pardo said, adding that it also suggested that South Korea could be providing more support to Ukraine behind the scenes.

When meeting with Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska in Seoul in May, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said that South Korea would expand non-lethal aid to Ukraine. Photo: NY Times

The Ukrainian president asked Mr. Yoon for increased military support when they first met in May. On July 15, Mr. Yoon said that South Korea has provided safety equipment and humanitarian aid that Ukraine needs since May, including mine detectors.

South Korea is a key US ally and the world's ninth-largest arms exporter, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). The country has joined international sanctions against Russia and has provided humanitarian and financial assistance to Ukraine.

However, South Korea is also wary of Russia's influence over North Korea, and has resisted Western pressure to directly arm Ukraine.

Since the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out in February 2022, South Korea has reached deals to supply billions of dollars worth of tanks, howitzers, fighter jets and other weapons systems to NATO member Poland.

The United States has agreed to purchase 100,000 artillery shells from South Korean manufacturers for Ukraine, a US official said in November 2022. However, South Korean officials have insisted that the ammunition is intended only to replenish depleted US stocks .

Nguyen Tuyet (According to Reuters, ABC, AP)

Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/tong-thong-han-quoc-cam-ket-tang-vien-tro-quan-su-cho-ukraine-a617389.html