South Korea will have no obstacles to supply lethal weapons to Ukraine if Russia transfers high-precision weapons to its long-time enemy – North Korea. This was stated by the national security advisor to the South Korean President’s Office, Chan Ho Jin, reported by Ukrinform citing Yonhap.
Dependency on Russia’s Actions
Chan Ho Jin emphasized that at the moment, everything depends on Moscow’s steps. He stressed that Seoul’s decision to provide weapons to Ukraine will be determined by the development of military cooperation between Russia and Pyongyang. According to the advisor, Russia should seek to improve relations with South Korea.
“If they want to restore and improve Korean-Russian relations, the Russian side should think well about cooperation with the DPRK,” Chan said.
Possible Changes in Seoul’s Policy
As noted by Ukrinform, South Korea may reconsider its position on supplying weapons to Ukraine in response to Russia and North Korea signing a mutual military assistance agreement. Seoul will determine the types of weapons and the volumes of their supplies depending on Russia’s actions.
The thing is that South Korea has previously provided military assistance to Kyiv, but it was exclusively non-lethal weapons. And this country has in its arsenal many things that pose a serious threat to the Russian army.
Strategic Ambiguity
Official South Korean officials maintain strategic ambiguity regarding the types of weapons being considered as a diplomatic move to pressure Moscow. According to one official, there are different options for providing weapons, and Seoul’s position depends on Russia’s future actions.
Specific Weapons in Question
South Korea has several anti-aircraft systems in its arsenal, including:
- MIM-104 Patriot (upgraded versions PAC-2 and PAC-3)
- K-SAAM (Korean Naval Point Defense System)
- KM-SAM (Medium-range system based on the Russian 9K37 “Buk”)
- K30 Biho (Close-range self-propelled anti-aircraft system)
- THAAD (American system for intercepting ballistic missiles)
South Korea previously provided Ukraine with only non-lethal equipment, following a policy that prohibits supplying lethal weapons to countries at war. However, it is possible that this situation may change dramatically in the near future.
