S. Korea's vice defense minister attends US-led dialogue on support for Ukraine

South Korea's Vice Defense Minister Shin Beom-chul has attended a virtual session of a US-led forum on support for war-torn Ukraine, his ministry said Tuesday.

Hosted by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Monday's session of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group involved officials from some 40 countries. Participants discussed the situation in Ukraine and joint efforts to aid the nation, according to the ministry.

Shin strongly condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine as an "act that runs counter to the principle of the UN Charter" and explained Seoul's efforts to support the country, including its shipment of humanitarian and non-lethal aid.

He also said that President Yoon Suk-yeol's administration will consider ways to make additional contributions "in consideration of our responsibilities and role as a global pivotal state."

The Yoon administration has promoted the slogan "global pivotal state," in a show of its commitment to playing an active role in tackling regional and global challenges.

The multilateral dialogue was launched in April to discuss effective ways of providing aid to Ukraine. Among the participating countries are Japan, New Zealand and members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. (Yonhap)