Stay warm with Ukrainian traditions this winter. Explore and gift our seasonal merch collection, inspired by Ukraine’s unique heritage.

shop now
Skip to content
Edit post

EU's Borrell asks South Korea to 'set up' aid to Ukraine

by Martin Fornusek November 4, 2024 11:11 AM 2 min read
Josep Borrell (R), the top EU diplomat, meeting South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun during the former's visit to South Korea on Nov. 4, 2024. (Josep Borrell/X)
This audio is created with AI assistance

Josep Borrell, the top EU diplomat, visited South Korea on Nov. 4 amid rising concerns over North Korean troops joining Russia's war against Ukraine.

"Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is an existential threat. The Republic of Korea is best positioned to understand it," Borrell said on X after meeting South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun.

"We are united in our support to Ukraine. I encouraged them to step it up."

The deepening cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang has sparked discussions in Seoul on revising its stance on military supplies for Ukraine.

North Korea is believed to have dispatched 10,000-12,000 troops to Russia to join the war against Ukraine. Some 8,000 soldiers have been reportedly deployed in Kursk Oblast, a Russian border region partially held by Ukrainian forces.

South Korea has provided Ukraine with humanitarian aid but not with lethal assistance, as the country's legislation prevents direct arms supplies to war zones.

According to some media reports, South Korea has provided Ukraine with artillery shells indirectly via the U.S., but direct supplies of 155 mm rounds are currently not on the table.

During his visit, Borrell visited the fortified Demilitarized Zone dividing South Korea and North Korea. The European diplomat said he aims to raise the cooperation between the EU and Seoul to "the next level."

South Korea supplying weapons to Ukraine directly unlikely given legal hurdles, experts say
South Korea has hinted it could change its long-standing stance on not providing Ukraine directly with weapons in light of the dramatic escalation of North Korea’s role in Russia’s full-scale invasion. So far, Seoul has only provided humanitarian and non-lethal military aid to Kyiv, but on Oct. 22,…

News Feed

MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.