South Korea to provide 'larger scale of military supplies', aid to Ukraine

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, on Saturday (July 15) made an unannounced visit to Ukraine for a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky and pledged additional military supplies and humanitarian aid to the war-torn country. Yoon also visited the Ukrainian cities of Bucha and Irpin.

South Korean president’s sudden visit

According to the South Korean president’s office, the visit before a summit with Zelensky was an unannounced one. “The president first toured the Bucha city massacre site near the capital Kyiv and the city of Irpin, where missile attacks were concentrated on civilian residential areas,” said his office.

It added, “President Yoon will visit a memorial for the war dead to lay a wreath, and hold a summit meeting with President Zelensky.” The surprise visit comes after Yoon attended the NATO summit in Lithuania and visited Poland this week.

The visit is seen as significant as very few Asian leaders have visited Ukraine, said the Korea chair at the Brussels School of Governance research organisation, Ramon Pacheco.

“If he’s going it’s because Zelensky allowed him to go, because he feels Korea is doing enough to warrant it,” said Pardo, as quoted by Reuters, adding that it might suggest that South Korea might be offering more support behind the scenes.

It remains to be seen if the visit will change South Korea’s long-standing policy of not giving weapons to zones which are involved in conflict.

A United States ally and the world’s 9th biggest arms exporter, as per the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), South Korea due to its policies has only provided Ukraine with aid and non-lethal military supplies but no weapons.

Yoon pledges more aid, to help with reconstruction

South Korea plans to provide "a larger scale of military supplies" to Ukraine this year. Notably, last year Seoulprovided materials such as helmets and bullet-proof vests. South Korea will also increase humanitarian aid to Kyiv from $100 million last year to $150 million, in 2023.

It will also help rebuild Ukraine by cooperating with Kyiv on infrastructure construction backed by concessionary loans. Yoon also spoke about how Seoul has supplied safety equipment and humanitarian aid that Ukraine needs, since two months ago, including mine detectors.

South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, in a statement, on Friday said South Korean companies and entities in Ukraine and in other countries signed agreements to help with reconstruction.

Meanwhile, Zelensky thanked Yoon for “the meaningful talks” and “strong support”. The Ukrainian president spoke about how the two leaders discussed “everything that is important for the normal and safe life of people".

He also thanked the South Korean president “for your new initiatives to provide financial, technical and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine” without going into detail.

(With inputs from agencies)

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