Seoul says it may start sending lethal weapon to Ukraine

 The authorities of the Republic of Korea are considering a proposal for gradually toughening the stance on arms supplies to Ukraine in response to a hypothetical appearance of the Korean People's Army personnel in the special military operation zone, the news agency Yonhap has said, citing sources.

Seoul is considering a phased transition from increasing non-weapons aid to start supplying Kiev with lethal offensive weapons "depending on the level of military cooperation between Russia and North Korea."

South Korea will be taking take step-by-step measures while monitoring the situation with military cooperation between Russia and the North, including monitoring Russian assistance in military technology and the sending of North Korean soldiers [to Russia], the agency's source said. Moscow has already dismissed the speculations about the sending of Korean People's Army units to Russia as fake news.

Yonhap's source explained that "rather than lethal weapons, defensive weapons will be prioritized and ‘indirect’ supplies" of weapons or ammunition were preferable to their direct export to Ukraine. The term "indirect" means the transfer of ammunition to third countries whose arsenals have been emptied as a result of aid to Kiev.

In this regard, the agency speculates that South Korea might supply Ukraine with "the Cheongung-II medium-range surface-to-air missile system." The news agency believes that under this scenario there is a high probability South Korean 155 mm munitions might be supplied to the United States again.

Earlier, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said in a telephone conversation with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte that Seoul was not going to turn a blind eye on rumors about the sending of DPRK military personnel to Russia and would take step-by-step measures. In particular, he intends to intensify security cooperation with NATO and Ukraine. Rutte expressed hope for wider cooperation among the three sides in the military-industrial field.

Russia has repeatedly pointed out that the supply of lethal weapons to Ukraine would ruin Moscow-Seoul relations. The Russian authorities emphasized that cooperation with the DPRK was not directed against third countries. The Republic of Korea previously provided humanitarian and financial assistance to Kiev and supplied non-lethal military items, but not weapons.

MNA/