South Korea may lift weapons ban to aid Ukraine amid Russia-North Korea pact
11:51 AM EDT, June 20, 2024
South Korea will consider the validity of banning the supply of lethal weapons to Ukraine, announced National Security Advisor Chang Ho-jin. What equipment and supplies could Ukraine receive from a country that, according to the Global Firepower ranking, possesses the fifth most powerful army in the world?
Chang Ho-jin added that Seoul condemns the mutual "immediate" military assistance agreement signed Wednesday between Russia and North Korea. Until now, South Korea has only helped Ukraine with humanitarian aid.
Will South Korea change its approach to the war in Ukraine?
The government expresses severe concern and condemns the signing of a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement between North Korea and Russia, which aims to strengthen military and economic cooperation. "We plan to reconsider the issue of military support for Ukraine,” said Chang during a press briefing at the presidential office.
He explained that Seoul would maintain strategic ambiguity regarding the types of weapons that could be delivered to Kyiv.
“There are many options for weapons support, whether lethal or not. There are many kinds of precision weapons that are not just ordinary lethal weapons,” said Chang.
The South Korean politician also noted that any cooperation with Pyongyang that directly or indirectly supports North Korea's military development violates sanctions resulting from UN Security Council resolutions.
Therefore, the authorities in Seoul will impose additional restrictions on four Russian ships, five organizations, and eight individuals involved in the transfer of weapons and oil between Russia and North Korea. Besides this, another 243 items will be added to the list of products subject to export control to Russia, meaning a ban on exporting 1,402 goods that could potentially be used in the war.
What valuable weapons does South Korea possess for Ukrainians?
South Korea is a significant producer of artillery ammunition, which Ukraine has lacked for months. Particularly valuable could be the 6-inch (155 mm) shells produced in this Asian country. This is standard ammunition used in many NATO equipment pieces that have reached the front as part of aid to Ukraine.
Equally important, South Korea has systems from each tier of air defense - low, medium, and high. It includes portable anti-aircraft KP-SAM missile systems similar to Polish Grom or Piorun systems. They have been produced since 2003 and can target up to 4 miles (7 km). More considerable threats are posed by American M163 VADS guns of 0.8 inches (20 mm) and South Korean K30 Biho guns using 1.2 inches (30 mm). South Korea also possesses Swedish towed Bofors L-70 guns of 1.6 inches (40 mm) and the most advanced systems, KM-SAM Block-II (Cheongung II) and American Patriot systems, also in the latest version PAC-3.
In April, Seoul announced that as part of its support for Ukraine, it is committed to providing a medium- and long-term assistance package worth $2.3 billion starting this year.
