South Korea to continue providing assistance to Ukraine at US request — defense chief

Seoul will continue to provide assistance to Kyiv at Washington’s insistence, South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik said at a press conference with his US counterpart Lloyd Austin.

"The government of the Republic of Korea had previously provided assistance to Ukraine, including humanitarian aid. The US has asked South Korea to send additional aid to Ukraine, to which I responded that the Republic of Korea will continue to assist and support [Kyiv]," the South Korean defence chief said, when asked if Washington had asked Seoul to send weapons or ammunition to Ukraine, TASS reports.

South Korea has previously provided humanitarian and financial assistance to Ukraine, as well as non-lethal military goods such as mine detectors and body armour. However, no weapons were sent.

On Monday, the US and South Korea held their annual bilateral meeting on security issues. For the first time since 2013, the two countries signed an updated strategy aimed at containing North Korea with regard to the development of its nuclear and missile programs.

Lloyd Austin arrived in South Korea on November 11. The next day, trilateral talks took place, which also involved the Japanese defence minister who participated via video link. The Pentagon chief also met with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Seoul on November 8-9.