The Ukrainian delegation, led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, will visit South Korea this week to discuss arms supplies.
This was reported by the South China Morning Post citing a source.
South Korea has set a condition under which it will lift any restrictions on assistance to UkraineSouth Korea's National Security Advisor Chang Ho Jin stated that the country will not be bound in any way regarding assistance to Ukraine if Russia provides North Korea with precision weapons.The delegation is expected to meet with their South Korean counterparts on Wednesday and present a list of requests, which will include anti-aircraft missiles and artillery weapons.
Analysts anticipate that South Korea will adopt a "cautious stance" regarding military assistance following Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. elections and repeated warnings from Russia against such actions.
"South Korea will listen to Ukraine's request, but is unlikely to commit firmly to arms supplies. The government is expected to take a wait-and-see approach, monitoring military cooperation between Russia and North Korea before deciding on its next steps,” predicts Du Jin Ho, a researcher at the Korea Defense Analysis Institute.
Another significant obstacle to arms supplies is domestic opposition. Opposition lawmakers have threatened to initiate impeachment proceedings against the South Korean Defense Minister if the government sends military aid to Ukraine. They cite laws prohibiting the export of weapons to countries in a state of war without parliamentary approval.
Recall that in late October, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stated that the country might consider supplying lethal weapons to Ukraine in response to the deployment of North Korean soldiers to Russia.
President Volodymyr Zelensky, for his part, announced that Ukraine would soon prepare and send a request with the necessary list of weapons to the South Korean government.
Previously, the countries agreed to enhance intelligence and expertise sharing in light of threats from North Korea. Media reports also indicated that South Korea may send a group of military observers to Ukraine.