Ukraine hopes for S. Korean arms in fight against Russia

Ukraine is hoping for South Korea's defense support in its fight against Russia, said the Ukrainian Embassy in Seoul on Monday.

The comments came after President Yoon Suk Yeol said that South Korea could provide aid beyond humanitarian or financial support if Ukraine comes under large-scale attacks against civilians in an interview with Reuters on Wednesday.

Korea can support Ukraine by providing state-of-the-art Korean-made defense equipment, said the embassy.

"The continuation of timely defense assistance from our partners is crucial to ending the war in 2023," the embassy told The Korea Herald.

Russia warned South Korea against sending weapons to Ukraine after President Yoon's comments on extending military aid to Kyiv under certain conditions.

The Kremlin sees the supply of arms to Kyiv as a hostile, anti-Russian act, as well as an indication of South Korea's indirect involvement in the conflict in Ukraine.

When asked about the former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's suggestion that North Korea could be supplied with the latest Russian weapons, the Ukrainian Embassy stated that any implication of Russia supplying North Korea with weapons highlights the inadequacy of Russian leadership.

"In contrast to Ukraine, which is defending itself from a genocidal invasion by Russia, North Korea is under a strict international weapons supply ban," highlighted the embassy.

The embassy recalled sanctions on North Korea imposed by the UN Security Council, where Russia holds a permanent seat.

According to the embassy, Medvedev’s words have reconfirmed Russia’s total disregard for its international obligations and the international rules-based order.

Statements like those made by Medvedev will only work to speed up Russia’s transition into a pariah state on the international stage, said the embassy.