Ukraine to request military aid from South Korea as North Korea sends troops for Russia’s war

Ukraine plans to officially request military aid from South Korea over North Korean troop deployment, says Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to Militanyi.

Since the beginning of the all-out war, Ukraine has not received weapons from South Korea. Seoul’s stance on the matter began shifting after North Korea deployed its soldiers to assist Russia in the war.  Last week, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol assured that his country would “not stand idly by” if North Korea sent special forces to the conflict. He pledged consistent support for Ukraine in response to North Korean involvement.

Following the South Korean leader’s statements, Ukrainian President Volomydyr Zelenskyy announced that his country would soon formally request Seoul’s support.

“Now that North Korea has officially joined the war against Ukraine, our request will be detailed. Ukraine will also send a representative to South Korea soon. We will discuss weapon supplies,” Zelenskyy explained.

He clarified that he is uncertain how Seoul will respond to the request. However, Ukraine urgently needs additional artillery, air defense systems, and other equipment that won’t be disclosed publicly.

On 30 October, Ukraine and South Korea agreed to strengthen contacts at all levels in response to North Korean troops joining the war on Russia’s side.

The two countries also committed to developing an action strategy and list of countermeasures to address the escalation, as well as to involve shared partners in their collaboration.

As part of this agreement, Ukraine and South Korea will exchange delegations to coordinate their response to North Korea’s troop deployment to Russia.

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