SEOUL: South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol mentioned Thursday Seoul would preserve sturdy ties with Ukraine and a “clean” relationship with Russia, whereas ruling out direct weapon shipments to Kyiv.
As a serious arms exporter, Seoul has lengthy been requested by US and European allies to do extra to assist Kyiv.
However Yoon advised reporters that it was his “agency stance” to not present deadly weapons to nations in battle.
Yoon mentioned his nation was doing its “finest to offer humanitarian and reconstruction help, in accordance with the spirit of the structure.”
Yoon mentioned his nation’s ties with Moscow had been strained by what Seoul and ally Washington say are arms shipments from North Korea to Russia, to be used in Ukraine.
“North Korea’s export of offensive weapons not solely helps the unlawful waging of warfare in relation to Ukraine, but additionally clearly violates UN Safety Council sanctions resolutions associated to North Korea’s nuclear weapons,” Yoon mentioned.
However regardless of tensions with Moscow over purported arms offers with North Korea, Yoon mentioned he would work with Russia.
“Russia is a rustic with which now we have had a great relationship for a very long time,” he mentioned.
“Because of the latest warfare with Ukraine, now we have completely different positions concerning the introduction of weapons to North Korea,” he added.
“As for our relationship with Russia, we are going to cooperate on a case-by-case foundation, and we might oppose or be cautious relying on variations in place, however we are going to handle our relationship with Russia as easily as potential.”
He declined to reply a query as to what he would contemplate a “purple line” for Seoul to evaluate its non-lethal weapons coverage on Ukraine.
Seoul has lengthy harboured ambitions to hitch the ranks of the world’s high arms exporters — aiming to be the fourth largest, behind america, Russia and France — one thing that’s now potential, business analysis signifies.
It has additionally offered artillery shells to Washington — however with a “ultimate consumer” settlement in place that means solely america can use the munitions.
Consultants have mentioned this enables america to then present their very own shells to Kyiv.
Hostilities within the 1950 to 1953 Korean Struggle ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty, and Seoul stays technically at warfare with nuclear-armed Pyongyang.
As a serious arms exporter, Seoul has lengthy been requested by US and European allies to do extra to assist Kyiv.
However Yoon advised reporters that it was his “agency stance” to not present deadly weapons to nations in battle.
Yoon mentioned his nation was doing its “finest to offer humanitarian and reconstruction help, in accordance with the spirit of the structure.”
Yoon mentioned his nation’s ties with Moscow had been strained by what Seoul and ally Washington say are arms shipments from North Korea to Russia, to be used in Ukraine.
“North Korea’s export of offensive weapons not solely helps the unlawful waging of warfare in relation to Ukraine, but additionally clearly violates UN Safety Council sanctions resolutions associated to North Korea’s nuclear weapons,” Yoon mentioned.
However regardless of tensions with Moscow over purported arms offers with North Korea, Yoon mentioned he would work with Russia.
“Russia is a rustic with which now we have had a great relationship for a very long time,” he mentioned.
“Because of the latest warfare with Ukraine, now we have completely different positions concerning the introduction of weapons to North Korea,” he added.
“As for our relationship with Russia, we are going to cooperate on a case-by-case foundation, and we might oppose or be cautious relying on variations in place, however we are going to handle our relationship with Russia as easily as potential.”
He declined to reply a query as to what he would contemplate a “purple line” for Seoul to evaluate its non-lethal weapons coverage on Ukraine.
Seoul has lengthy harboured ambitions to hitch the ranks of the world’s high arms exporters — aiming to be the fourth largest, behind america, Russia and France — one thing that’s now potential, business analysis signifies.
It has additionally offered artillery shells to Washington — however with a “ultimate consumer” settlement in place that means solely america can use the munitions.
Consultants have mentioned this enables america to then present their very own shells to Kyiv.
Hostilities within the 1950 to 1953 Korean Struggle ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty, and Seoul stays technically at warfare with nuclear-armed Pyongyang.
