Seoul says no again to Ukraine’s weapons request as Pyongyang gets ready to send Russia more troops

On 10 August, South Korea reiterated its refusal to provide Ukraine with lethal military aid, focusing instead on humanitarian and reconstruction support, according to Yonhap. The South Korean Foreign Ministry cited a senior official who stated that the country adheres to its established policy of offering nonlethal assistance to Ukraine.

While Seoul has previously facilitated the movement of artillery shells to Ukraine through the United States, it maintains a strict stance against direct weapon transfers. South Korea arms NATO members with K2 tanks and K9 howitzers to facilitate the transfer of older equipment to Ukraine, but it does not extend this aid to Ukraine itself.

This policy is rooted in South Korean law, which prohibits direct exports of lethal weapons to countries involved in active conflicts. The restriction stems from Seoul's desire to avoid antagonizing Russia and China while managing the threat posed by North Korea. Ukraine is currently seeking South Korean interceptor missiles for its air defenses, but Seoul has neither formally accepted nor rejected the request, stating that its defense material transfers always comply with domestic law.

The official also declined to confirm whether South Korea and Ukraine were discussing military support. However, he emphasized that the cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang is directly related to South Korean security and contravenes United Nations resolutions, calling for its immediate cessation. In 2023, South Korea transferred hundreds of thousands of 155 mm shells to the United States, which then delivered them to Ukraine.

South Korean arms have also aided NATO members in replacing weapons sent to Ukraine. Poland acquired South Korean K2 tanks and K9 howitzers, while transferring older tanks and Krab artillery systems to Ukraine. Despite this, South Korea rejected Ukraine's request for air-defense systems, radars, and artillery propellant in November 2024.

In February 2026, Seoul's support was limited to humanitarian and nonlethal aid, despite NATO's request for assistance in purchasing US weapons for Ukraine. North Korean involvement exacerbates the situation, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noting that up to 30,000–50,000 North Koreans may be deployed to Russia, gaining modern combat experience and Russian technology.

Ukraine has offered cooperation to South Korea on drones, but Seoul has not confirmed this or Zelenskyy's statement about discussing possible military cooperation. North Korea is reportedly deploying 20,000 combat troops and military engineers to Russia's Kursk region, earning up to $22 billion from arming Russia. This has facilitated the financing of Russia's conventional and nuclear forces.

According to Kyodo News, North Korea has transferred approximately 6.5 million rocket and artillery munitions to Russia in exchange for air-defense, space, and nuclear technologies. The 2024 mutual defense pact between Moscow and Pyongyang formalized the growing military relationship between the two nations.