Presidential Office signals possible offensive weapons aid to Ukraine

The South Korean presidential office indicated on Tuesday that it might consider providing Ukraine with ‘offensive weapons,’ depending on North Korea’s military support for Russia. This comes as Pyongyang has reportedly already dispatched 1,500 elite troops to aid Russia, raising concerns that further deployments from Pyongyang or advanced military technology transfers from Russia to North Korea - marking the crossing of the “red line” - could lead Seoul to escalate its own support for Ukraine, which will likely prove to be fatal for the North and Russia.

Speaking with reporters, a senior official from the presidential office said, "We are watching the situation closely and could consider defensive weapon support in stages. If we believe the threshold is crossed, we may even consider offensive weapons as a last resort." The official highlighted potential benefits that North Korea could gain from aiding Russia, such as advancements in nuclear missile development, the transfer of sophisticated military technologies, enhancement of its conventional weapons capabilities, and actual battlefield experiences for its troops, all of which pose a "grave threat" to South Korean national security. The official also warned that if Russia assists North Korea in overcoming its repeated failures to launch reconnaissance satellites, Pyongyang’s surveillance capabilities could expand, further threatening Seoul. Russian satellite technology is considered one of the key military advancements that Moscow could provide to North Korea, with reports indicating that Pyongyang is currently testing rocket engines at its West Sea satellite launch site for a future military reconnaissance satellite launch.

Earlier in the day, the South Korean government held an emergency National Security Council (NSC) meeting at the presidential office in Yongsan to discuss response measures. Following the meeting, Kim Tae-hyo, the first deputy director of the National Security Office, said in a briefing, "We are comprehensively reviewing possible scenarios of North Korea-Russia military cooperation that could pose a significant threat to our security and are preparing corresponding measures." A senior official added, "We expect the United States to make an official statement (on North Korea’s involvement with Russia) soon."

Additionally, the South Korean government is reportedly considering sending a monitoring team to Ukraine to assess the situation and gather intelligence on North Korean military activities in the battlefield.


Jin-Woo Shin niceshin@donga.com · Sang-Ho Yun ysh1005@donga.com · Na-Ri Shin journari@donga.com