In a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv on Saturday, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol announced that his nation will send a larger shipment of military equipment and humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
Yoon made the unexpected journey after attending the NATO summit in Lithuania and visiting Poland this week, where he showed support for Ukraine against Russia’s invasion.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), South Korea is a close ally of the United States and the ninth-largest exporter of weapons worldwide. However, it is equally concerned about Russia’s sway over North Korea and has resisted Western attempts to actively arm Ukraine.
Following the deployment of non-lethal equipment including body armor and helmets to Ukraine last year, Yoon stated in a news conference that South Korea aims to give “a larger scale of military supplies” to that country this year. He made no further explanations.
According to Yoon, South Korea also intends to give Ukraine humanitarian help worth USD 150 million this year, followed by roughly USD 100 million in 2022.
It will also work with Kyiv on initiatives like building infrastructure, which might be supported by loans with favorable terms from South Korea, he said.
“We are discussing everything that is important for the normal and safe life of people,” Zelenskiy said, thanking Yoon for “powerful” support.
