South Korea president says 'not ruling out' direct weapons to Ukraine

South Korea considers providing weapons to Ukraine amid North Korea's deepening involvement in Russia's conflict.

Major arms exporter South Korea is not ruling out providing weapons directly to Ukraine, President Yoon Suk Yeol said on Thursday (November 7, 2024), signalling a possible shift in Seoul's stance on the issue.

Mr. Yoon also revealed he had discussed North Korea with US president-elect Donald Trump in a phone conversation that laid the groundwork for a meeting in the "near future".

South Korea has a long-standing policy of not providing weapons to countries in conflict but indicated that could change in light of Pyongyang's deployment of troops to Russia to aid its war efforts in Ukraine.

"Now, depending on the level of North Korean involvement, we will gradually adjust our support strategy in phases," Yoon said at a press conference in Seoul.

"This means we are not ruling out the possibility of providing weapons."

North Korea has become one of the most vocal and important backers of Russia's full-scale offensive in Ukraine.

Seoul and the West have long accused Pyongyang of supplying artillery shells and missiles to Moscow for use in Ukraine.