South Korea stands firm: No weapons aid for Ukraine
Ukrainian media note that the South Korean army has started using T-80U tanks and BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles as training targets for its kamikaze drones. For Seoul, this post-Soviet equipment no longer holds significant value, but it could greatly assist Ukraine. However, despite Kyiv's increasingly loud requests, there is still no chance of such a transfer.
1:07 PM EST, December 2, 2024
At the end of November this year, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov visited South Korea and held talks attended by, among others, President Yoon Suk-yeol. The discussions also included the potential acquisition of South Korean weapons by Ukraine. According to reports, Seoul has once again decided to refuse and remain firm in its previous stance, which is to support Ukraine but exclude arms deliveries.
The new role of South Korean T-80U and BMP-3
This approach by the South Korean authorities has been widely discussed in many Ukrainian media outlets, which also draw attention to the reports from recent South Korean army exercises. The photos show the use of T-80U tanks and BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles as targets for kamikaze drones.
South Korea received this equipment from Russia in the 1990s. Based on reports from these exercises, it is difficult to assess its technical condition. However, much indicates that at least some vehicles are operational, and as Ukrainian media emphasize, even non-operational ones would be helpful for the army fighting Russia.
"This does not improve the situation we are in because even worn-out T-80 tanks and BMP vehicles, which are no longer fully operational, could be used as donors for spare parts, which would be extremely useful for the Armed Forces of Ukraine," wrote Defence Express in an analysis on a Ukrainian portal.
South Korea's post-Soviet equipment
According to the report The Military Balance 2024, at the beginning of 2024, the South Korean army had 40 T-80U tanks and the same number of BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles.
The T-80U is a variant of the widely used T-80 family. Compared to the base version, the T-80U employs a more powerful engine generating 1,250 HP. The main armament of this machine is a 125 mm smoothbore cannon. Additionally, designers mounted a 7.62 mm machine gun and a 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine gun.
Using T-80U and BMP-3 as training targets for drones is a well-considered tactic from South Korea's perspective because North Korea mainly relies on post-Soviet equipment. Ukrainians, however, assess this through the lens of their needs. The T-80U and BMP-3 were on the list of weapons Kyiv unsuccessfully appealed for from Seoul. "South Korea's defense planning against the North Korean regime does not necessarily rely on the maxim the enemy of my enemy is my friend," summarized analysts at Defence Express, which can be understood about, among others, the dispatch of North Korean troops as support for Putin's army.
