Yoon Just Said It—South Korea May Start Supplying Lethal Weapons to Ukraine

During a joint press conference at South Korea’s Presidential Office on Thursday, President Yoon Suk Yeol addressed the evolving threat posed by North Korea’s recent troop deployments to Russia and its potential implications for South Korean support of Ukraine. Speaking alongside Polish President Andrzej Duda, Yoon emphasized that South Korea is open to the possibility of directly supplying lethal weapons to Ukraine in light of North Korea’s troop deployment to Russia.

In response to a Q&A following his summit with Duda, Yoon outlined South Korea’s commitment to humanitarian support for Ukraine. However, he noted that North Korea’s actions, especially any deployment of special forces, could prompt a reassessment. “While we have adhered to a principle of not directly supplying lethal weapons, we may reassess this approach more flexibly based on North Korean military activities,” Yoon emphasized, signaling a potential pivot in policy should North Korean support for Russia deepen.

During the joint press conference with Poland, Yoon also condemned North Korea’s troop deployment to Russia, calling it a clear violation of the UN Charter and UN Security Council resolutions. He described this move as a global security threat beyond the Korean Peninsula and Europe. Yoon stated, “South Korea will not remain passive, and we will collaborate with the international community to take necessary actions depending on the developments in military cooperation between Russia and North Korea.”