South Korea Considers Arms Supply to Ukraine Amid Russia-North Korea Defense Pact

South Korea is considering supplying arms to Ukraine after Russia and North Korea signed a strategic defense pact that requires them to provide immediate military assistance to each other in the event of war. The pact, described as the strongest connection between Moscow and Pyongyang since the Cold War, has alarmed South Korea and its allies.

South Korea’s National Security Director Chang Ho-jin stated that the government would reconsider the issue of arms provision to Ukraine, but was willing to wait for further explanations from Putin and Kim Jong Un. This marks a potential policy shift, as South Korea’s current stance prohibits the provision of lethal weapons to Ukraine.

The defense pact between Russia and North Korea has raised concerns that it could lead to Pyongyang providing Moscow with badly needed munitions for the war in Ukraine, in exchange for economic assistance and technology transfers that could enhance North Korea’s nuclear and missile capabilities.

This has prompted South Korea to emphasize the importance of enhancing the extended deterrence power of the South Korea-US alliance and the trilateral security cooperation system to counter North Korea’s nuclear threats. The US, which maintains nearly 30,000 troops in South Korea, has also expressed concern over the intensifying Russia-North Korea ties, stating that these developments were troubling for any country advocating for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula