Ukraine and South Korea sought common responses to security threats at talks in Seoul
27 November 2024 15:35
On Wednesday, South Korean President Yun Suk-yol met with a Ukrainian delegation led by Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. The purpose of the meeting was to exchange intelligence on the growing military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, as well as to discuss a joint response to security threats. The Yonhap news agency reported this with reference to the Office of the President of South Korea, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
As noted in the report, during the meeting, the South Korean president emphasized South Korea’s desire to discuss “practical response measures” with Ukraine to counter the security threats posed by growing military ties between Moscow and Pyongyang. At the same time, he emphasized the expediency of close coordination with the United States.
“The two sides agreed to continue exchanging information on the deployment of North Korean troops in Russia and on the transfer of weapons and technology between Russia and North Korea, working together with allied countries,” the press release from the South Korean President’s office said.
The Ukrainian delegation also held separate talks with National Security Advisor Shin Won-sik and South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun. They exchanged intelligence on North Korean troops stationed in Russia. They also expressed hope for deepening future cooperation between Ukraine and South Korea.
When asked by a Yonhap correspondent whether the Ukrainian side had asked for weapons during these meetings, the Ukrainian minister did not answer.
Earlier, South Korean President Yun Suk-yol said that his country might consider providing weapons to Ukraine, but it would depend on the scale of military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has previously emphasized Ukraine’s urgent need for anti-aircraft missile and artillery systems to counter Russian threats.
