South Korea considers increasing aid to Ukraine in case of massive aggression against civilians

Yoon clarified that his government is examining how to contribute to the defense and reconstruction of Ukraine, similar to the international aid South Korea received during the Korean War (1950-1953). He added that if the international community cannot tolerate a massive attack against civilians, a massacre, or a serious violation of the laws of war, it would be difficult for South Korea to limit itself to humanitarian or financial support.

A stance that could involve South Korea in the conflict

In response to these remarks, the Kremlin warned that supplying weapons to Ukraine would make Seoul a participant in the conflict. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Seoul had adopted a “quite hostile” position in this matter and that supplying weapons would entail some involvement in the conflict.

Yoon is scheduled to visit the United States next week for a summit with US President Joe Biden, marking the 70th anniversary of the alliance between the two countries. At this summit, Yoon hopes to achieve “tangible results” regarding allied efforts to improve their response to evolving threats from North Korea, which has intensified its military tests and launched its first solid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missile last week.

“If a nuclear war breaks out between South Korea and North Korea, it is probably not just a problem between the two parties, but the whole of Northeast Asia would likely turn to ashes. It must be stopped,” Yoon said.

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Discussions on an Asian version of NATO’s nuclear planning group

When asked about the possibility of an Asian version of NATO’s nuclear planning group involving Japan, Yoon said that allies are focusing on bilateral measures to strengthen information sharing, joint contingency planning, and joint execution of plans.

Yoon also discussed the possibility of dialogue with North Korea but opposed a “surprise” summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for domestic policy reasons. He criticized the sudden and uninformed announcements of inter-Korean talks by previous governments, which, according to him, did not help build trust.

Finally, Yoon addressed the rivalry between China and the United States, as well as tensions in the Taiwan Strait. He said that these tensions are due to attempts to change the status quo by force, and that South Korea and the international community firmly oppose such changes. According to him, the Taiwan issue is not just a problem between China and Taiwan, but also a global concern, similar to the North Korea issue.