'Step up' military support for Ukraine, NATO chief urges South Korea

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has asked South Korea to increase military support to Ukraine. He suggested Seoul should reconsider the policy of not providing weapons to countries in conflict as many other countries have also done the same after Russia's invasion.

Stoltenberg is currently in Seoul, the first stop in his Asia trip, that also includes a visit to Japan. The tour is aimed at boosting ties with the region's democratic allies in the face of the Ukraine conflict and growing competition from China.

Stoltenberg met with top South Korean officials Sunday and said that events in Europe and North America are interconnected with other regions. He added that the alliance wants to help manage global threats by increasing partnerships in Asia.

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Speaking at the Chey Institute for Advanced Studies in Seoul on Monday, he thanked South Korea for its non-lethal aid to Ukraine. However, he urged Seoul to work on providing more help to Kyiv, saying there was an "urgent need for more ammunition".

While South Korea has signed major deals to provide hundreds of tanks, aircraft and other weapons to NATO member Poland since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has said that his country's law against providing arms to countries in conflicts makes providing weapons to Ukraine difficult.

Stoltenberg pointed out that Germany, Sweden, and Norway had similar policies but changed them to help Ukraine.

"If we don't want autocracy and tyranny to win, then (the Ukrainians) need weapons, that's the reality," he said.

Meanwhile, North Korea, in a statement on Monday, called Stoltenberg's visit a "prelude to confrontation and war as it brings the dark clouds of a 'new Cold War' to the Asia-Pacific region."

South Korea had opened its first diplomatic mission to NATO last year, vowing to deepen cooperation on non-proliferation, cyber defence, counter-terrorism, disaster response and other security areas.

(With inputs from agencies)

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