South Korea reportedly not considering direct 155 mm ammunition supplies to Ukraine
South Korea is currently not considering directly providing 155 mm artillery shells to Ukraine, the Yonhap news agency reported on Oct. 30, citing a senior South Korean presidential official.
Seoul has not received such a request from the Ukrainian side, and the matter is not under consideration, the source told the South Korean news agency amid speculations of South Korea's shifting stance on the issue.
South Korea has not provided direct lethal support to Kyiv as its legislation prohibits supplying arms to a warzone, though unconfirmed reports suggested Ukraine has obtained South Korean shells indirectly via the U.S.
The country's president, Yoon Suk Yeol, said South Korea might revise its stance in the light of deepening cooperation between Russia and North Korea, namely in regards to the dispatch of North Korean troops to join the war.
Chris YorkA South Korean delegation is expected to visit Ukraine this week to share intelligence on North Korean soldiers and discuss mutual cooperation. Kyiv also plans to send a special envoy to South Korea, and the two countries will discuss the topic this week, Yonhap reported.
"It will take a day or two for the Ukrainian side to designate a special envoy and finalize a plan to visit and hold discussions here," the official told the news agency.
Experts told the Kyiv Independent that South Korea could provide the most significant support to Ukraine through ammunition shells. The country fields not only 155 mm artillery but also stores 3.4 million 105 mm rounds compatible with some of Ukraine's guns.
Ukrainian officials said that simply holding the front against Russian forces requires 75,000 shells a month. Moscow's troops can fire several times more shells than Ukraine, with roughly half reportedly provided by North Korea.
Russia is also believed to be preparing the deployment of 12,000 North Korean troops, with at least some of them in combat roles. A small number of North Korean soldiers have already arrived in Ukraine, CNN reported on Oct. 29, citing Western intelligence.
Chris York
