South Korea maintains arms embargo, limits support to Ukraine
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov visited South Korea. President Yoon Suk-yeol and other participants discussed the potential acquisition of South Korean weapons by Ukraine. According to media reports, this is unlikely.
According to SBS News, one of South Korea's largest television channels, Seoul remains an ally of Ukraine but wants to continue limiting its support to non-military equipment. Ukrainian media have perceived South Korea for months as a country whose involvement in the war could influence its course, due to the very rich arsenal of this Asian country (according to the Global Firepower ranking, it possesses the world's fifth most powerful army). There was hope that Seoul might change its current approach under the influence of tightening cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang.
No weapons for Ukraine from South Korea
The Ukrainian Defense Minister, aware of South Korea's government's stance, officially requested primarily "defensive weapons." This includes air defense systems and various types of radars. The KM-SAM systems, which are mobile surface-to-air missile systems with a range of approximately 40 to 50 kilometres, depending on the version, could be considered here.
Additionally, the Ukrainian delegation was supposed to discuss artillery ammunition. South Korea is one of the world's largest producers of 155 mm caliber shells, and as the war in Ukraine has shown, artillery plays a crucial role. Ukrainians use 155 mm artillery shells in modern NATO artillery, including the Polish-made Krab self-propelled howitzers, CAESAR from France, or the Panzerhaubitze 2000 (PzH 2000) from Germany.
Defense plants in South Korea produce various types of shells, both basic ones containing approximately 7 kg of TNT and shells with cluster warheads or gas generators. Additionally, South Korea has significant stockpiles of 105 mm caliber artillery ammunition, which could also be valuable for Ukraine.
They don’t even want to sell weapons to Ukraine
According to media reports, Ukrainian representatives expressed not only requests for help but also a desire to purchase ammunition. However, in this case, the decision of the South Korean government is said to be negative.
According to SBS News, South Korean defense companies, including giants Hanwha and Hyundai Rotem, received instructions from the local Ministry of Defence to refrain from contacting Ukraine. The reason cited was "legislative complications" concerning arms deliveries to a country that is at war.
Moreover, another fact is being noted. South Korea has been a significant arms exporter in recent years, and many countries, including Poland, which has acquired K2 tanks and K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers, purchase South Korean military equipment. However, the success of South Korean arms exports means that, for example, the main producer of air defence systems will not be able to supply its products to new clients before 2030. Manufacturers of K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers or K2 tanks also do not have ready products in stock.
