Seoul faces dilemma over weapons aid to Ukraine

The South Korean government is reportedly considering supplying 155mm artillery shells as a countermeasure to North Korea’s alleged deployment of troops to Russia, according to sources on Tuesday. Should South Korea choose to provide lethal aid to Ukraine, 155mm shells are reported to be its top priority. While indirect support through the United States remains the primary option, officials have not ruled out the possibility of direct support if the scale of North Korean troop deployments escalates or if Russia is confirmed to be transferring advanced military technology to North Korea. In a cabinet meeting on the same day, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol emphasized that “the illegal military collusion between Russia and North Korea poses a significant security threat to the international community” and described it as “a serious issue that could endanger our national security.”

“With North Korea deploying troops on a large scale, there is a shared sense of understanding within to play a role for the international community,” an official source revealed. “Ukraine has made repeated requests for 155mm artillery shells.” “The final decision rests with the National Security Council (NSC), but discussions are actively ongoing regarding whether to continue indirect support via the U.S. or to provide shells directly to Ukraine and at what scale,” another government source said.

The government cited North Korea's accelerated troop deployments despite international warnings and the impending deployment of North Korean forces to the Ukrainian battlefield as reasons behind the consideration of providing 155mm shells. Additionally, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) assessed that Russia has already transferred some military reconnaissance satellite technology to North Korea. The NIS reported to a parliamentary committee that North Korea appears prepared to reattempt the launch of a reconnaissance satellite, following a failed launch in May, facilitated by Russia’s technical assistance and procurement of advanced components.

A senior government official expressed concern that if South Korea were to provide lethal support to Ukraine, Russia could, in turn, openly transfer critical intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) reentry technology to North Korea. However, the official emphasized the importance of addressing North Korea’s deployment, noting that “we cannot simply ignore its implications for the Korean Peninsula’s security.” South Korea’s potential supply of 155mm shells—500,000 of which were supplied indirectly to Ukraine via the U.S. last year—carries symbolic weight, as these shells remain Ukraine’s most requested weaponry, according to officials.

The move, however, is likely to draw fierce opposition from South Korea’s main opposition party, the Democratic Party. “Lethal weapons aid to Ukraine should be handled cautiously,” the party said on Monday. “Hasty actions could jeopardize security on the Korean Peninsula and fuel tensions in the region.”


Jin-Woo Shin niceshin@donga.com