Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the government has provided only non-lethal supplies such as medical devices and emergency medicines, generators and combat food.
Ukraine has consistently asked for weapons of death support, but the principles have never changed.
[Ha Young-gyu / Ministry of Defense spokesman (April last year): There has been no change in the existing position of our Ministry of Defense (supporting non-lethal weapons) in relation to Ukraine. I hope you understand that.]
However, the tone changed last June.
It was shortly after North Korea and Russia signed a treaty comparable to a military alliance.
[Jang Ho-jin / National Security Office Chief: Russia's self-defying resolution and inflicting harm on our security by supporting North Korea will inevitably have a negative impact on Korea-Russia relations.]
Putin said at the time that it would be a mistake if South Korea provided lethal weapons, but the president's office responded that there were no legal restrictions on weapons support.
As North Korea sent troops despite repeated warnings, the government began to actively consider providing weapons of destruction.
It seems to be based on the judgment that the cost of North Korea's dispatch, such as the transfer of ICBM and nuclear submarine technology, could intensify the security threat on the Korean Peninsula.
[HA JUNG KYU / Ministry of National Defense spokesman: At the government level and with the Ministry of National Defense, I think the necessary measures will be reviewed and taken.]
Once the support is confirmed, 155mm shells that can be used immediately, as well as medium-range surface-to-air missiles and celestial palaces for aircraft interceptions that Ukraine requested in 2022 are expected to be on the list.
In the midst of this, the government invited the Russian ambassador to South Korea to sternly protest the dispatch of North Korean troops and warned that it would respond by all means jointly with the international community.
This is YTN Hong Seon-gi.
a photographer | Woo Young-taek
Video editing|Ma Young-hoo
subtitle news|This line
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