South Korea's opposition condemns possible troop deployment to Ukraine

On October 29, South Korea's main opposition party, the Democratic Party (DP), issued a strong warning regarding potential impeachment proceedings against the defence minister if the government decides to deploy "armed forces" to Ukraine without parliamentary approval.

Reports suggest that Seoul is contemplating sending a team of South Korean officials — likely composed of intelligence agents and North Korean specialists from the military and spy agency — to Ukraine. This team’s primary objective would be to analyze the tactics of North Korean troops aiding Russia in its ongoing conflict.

During a Supreme Council meeting of the DP, Rep. Kim Byung-joo invoked Article 60 of the Constitution, which grants the National Assembly the authority to approve any overseas deployment of armed forces, Caliber.Az reports via Korean media.

He emphasized that "sending even one person overseas amounts to the dispatch of armed forces."

"If the government proceeds to send troops to the battlefields in Ukraine without obtaining parliamentary consent, the DP will take various measures, including pursuing the impeachment of the defence minister," he stated.

Rep. Kim accused the government of attempting to circumvent the need for parliamentary approval by referring to the deployment as a "monitoring team" or "observers." He characterized this as an "extremely dangerous act of volunteering for a proxy war between North and South Korea," suggesting that the team could be used for psychological operations against Pyongyang or for the interrogation of North Korean prisoners of war.

In the same meeting, DP Rep. Lee Un-ju echoed these concerns, asserting that recklessly intervening in another nation's conflict against the will of the people and jeopardizing their lives "will never be forgiven."

Earlier, South Korean media reported that government and intelligence sources indicated the possibility of sending military specialists to Ukraine. Kim Byung-joo expressed his belief that the government is deliberately using the term “observer group” to sidestep the requirement for parliamentary approval.

An intelligence official was quoted by South Korean media as stating that the government and military are contemplating a plan to deploy a suitable number of personnel, including intelligence officers specializing in North Korean affairs and experts in enemy tactics, to Ukraine. This team would be tasked with conducting interrogations or serving as interpreters should North Korean soldiers be captured by Ukrainian forces. They would also provide insights into North Korea's military tactics, doctrine, and operations.

Later, during a press briefing, the South Korean Defense Ministry stated that it would approach the issue of potentially supplying lethal weapons to Ukraine with an "open attitude."

The South Korean government is also evaluating military support options for Ukraine. However, it has indicated that priority will be given to defensive weapons rather than lethal ones. If lethal support is deemed necessary, South Korea will first explore the possibility of indirect assistance to Ukraine.

By Tamilla Hasanova