According to media reports on Wednesday, a Ukrainian delegation headed by its defence chief was scheduled to visit South Korea to meet with President Yoon Suk Yeol and talk about Seoul’s possible arms support for Kyiv.
Following reports that North Korea had sent thousands of troops to support Russia’s war efforts against Ukraine, South Korea hinted that it would change its long-standing policy of not supplying weapons to nations engaged in warfare.
According to anonymous sources cited by Yonhap news agency, the Ukrain delegation, led by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, is anticipated to “share intelligence on North Korea’s troop deployment to Russia” and look for South Korea’s assistance for Kyiv’s war operations.
Yoon’s presidential office declined to confirm the report.
Earlier this month Yoon said whether — or how — South Korea decides to help Ukraine directly depends on “the level of North Korean involvement”, adding that Seoul was “not ruling out the possibility of providing weapons”.
If South Korea were to supply arms, the initial batch would be defensive in nature, Yoon said.
Ukraine is reliant on Western air defence systems, particularly Patriots, to protect itself from Russian missile barrages — and has been calling for more deliveries.
South Korea, which remains technically at war with the nuclear-armed North and has maintained production of weaponry long overlooked by Western arms industries, could make a significant impact if it decides to supply weapons, experts say.
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