Supplying arms to Ukraine depends on Russia: Yoon’s office

Whether South Korea will supply arms to Ukraine depends on Russia's actions from now on, a senior official at the presidential office said Thursday following a warning from Moscow that such a decision “constitutes aggression” against Russia.

Earlier in the day, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said any arms aid to Kyiv, no matter where it comes from, is a “hostile anti-Russian act,” referring to President Yoon Suk Yeol’s interview with Reuters on Wednesday, in which he suggested the possibility, if certain conditions are met.

Yoon’s conditions include “large-scale attacks on civilians, massacres the international community cannot condone or breaches of international humanitarian law.” He added that humanitarian and financial aid alone might not be enough if the war in Ukraine gets worse.

“What the president said was common sense, a textbook response,” a senior Yoon administration official said at a briefing Thursday, noting Yoon’s remarks refer to a “hypothetical” situation to convey the message that “Korea cannot just be a bystander and look the other way.”

Currently, Korea does not have laws or mandates preventing it from arming another country in conflict, the official noted, elaborating for the first time on potential hurdles to providing arms aid to another country in war. Last year, Seoul ruled out such a scenario.

The reason Korea has not already done that, the official added, is that it has had to support international efforts for peace in Ukraine all the while managing ties with Russia. Striking a balance was important, according to the presidential official.

A senior official at the Foreign Ministry in Seoul said Moscow has yet to lodge a formal complaint over Yoon’s latest comments, stressing all necessary consultations between the two countries are currently taking place without disruption.

The presidential official echoed a similar sentiment, saying all necessary dialogue and cooperation will take place in more depth, as long as Russia and China show respect for the “already agreed upon norms and international rules.”

The official was referring to other parts of Yoon’s interview where the president opposed any attempts to change the status quo by force, describing the tensions between China and Taiwan as more than a regional issue. Beijing claims its sovereignty extends to the self-ruled democratic island, saying it has the right to use force to bring it under control.

China immediately lashed out at what it sees as an unwarranted intervention in internal matters. At a press briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Beijing will not allow “meddling in conversations,” indicating Seoul does not have a say in the Taiwan issue.

“South Korea should uphold the one-China principle and be cautious in the way it deals with the Taiwan issue,” Wang said, referring to the policy that acknowledges China’s claims over Taiwan.

Next week, Yoon will meet with his US counterpart during his five-day state visit to Washington starting on Monday. The visit, the first in 12 years, will discuss North Korea’s denuclearization as it continues to defy international sanctions with shows of aggression. Russia and China, the North’s two biggest supporters, maintain Seoul and Washington are to blame for the status quo.