South Korea reiterates refusal to supply Ukraine with military aid
2 Min Read
A South Korean Defense Ministry spokesperson says the South Korean government remains steadfast in its resolve not to provide Ukraine with lethal weapons.
-
A South Korean flag seen at the White House in Washington, April 11, 2019 (Reuters)
A South Korean Defense Ministry spokesperson on Monday affirmed that South Korea will not go back on its refusal to supply weapons to Ukraine after the Ukrainian Ambassador continued to press Seoul for lethal aid.
Ukrainian Ambassador to South Korea Dmytro Ponomarenko reiterated on Monday that Kiev hoped Seoul would find a way to send weapons to Ukraine without delay to bolster its "counteroffensive" capabilities.
"The South Korean government remains steadfast in its resolve not to provide Ukraine with lethal weapons," the spokesperson told a news briefing, adding that South Korea has been sending humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and contributing to its reconstruction efforts.
The Defense Ministry spokesperson said he would not comment on a suggestion made by Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak to South Korean media last week that consultations on arms deliveries were already underway.
In late January, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg urged South Korea to "step up" military support for Ukraine, advising Seoul to reconsider its policy of not sending weapons to countries in conflict.
In a visit to Seoul, Stoltenberg met with top South Korean officials and urged Seoul to do more to assist Kiev, saying there was an "urgent need for more munitions."
Commenting on the matter, Kim Tong Myong, a researcher of the Society for International Politics Study in the DPRK (North Korea), warned in an article published by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) that Stoltenberg "will likely exert pressure on Japan and South Korea to force these countries to provide military aid to Ukraine."
"It is a matter of time that the military hardware of South Korea and Japan flowing into NATO are seen in the Ukrainian battlefield," Kim considered, pointing out that the NATO chief will use the "theory of threat from China" in order to pressure the two countries.
It is noteworthy that South Korea is a growing global arms exporter, having recently won contracts to sell hundreds of tanks to European countries, including NATO member Poland. However, South Korean law prohibits the transfer of weapons to countries in active conflict.
Read more: South Korea claims arms deal with US not for Ukrainian forces
