South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol, on Friday, said that Seoul was taking into consideration the options of supplying lethal aid to Kyiv and that it was necessary to make sure that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine never happens.
In a speech at Harvard University’s Kennedy School on the fifth day of a state visit to mark the 70th anniversary of the US-South Korean alliance, Yoon said the Russian offensive was a violation of international law and the rights of Ukrainians.
“We should prove that such attempts will never reach success, to block further attempts being made in the future,” he said, as per the concurrent translations of his remarks.
On being asked about the possibility of providing lethal aid to Ukraine, the South Korean leader said, “We are closely monitoring the situation that’s going on the battlefield in Ukraine and will take proper measures in order to uphold the international norms and international law. Right now we are closely monitoring the situation and we are considering various options.”
President Yoon met his United States counterpart Joe Biden at the White House on Wednesday.
Amidst soaring tensions over Pyongyang’s growing arsenal of projectiles and explosives, the United States vowed to provide South Korea with more insight into its nuclear planning over any conflict with North Korea, signing the Washington Declaration in the process.
“If there is a situation the international community cannot condone, such as any large-scale attack on civilians, massacre or serious violation of the laws of war, it might be difficult for us to insist only on humanitarian or financial support,” he said.
“I believe there won’t be limitations to the extent of the support to defend and restore a country that’s been illegally invaded both under international and domestic law,” he added. “However, considering our relationship with the parties engaged in the war and developments in the battlefield, we will take the most appropriate measures.”
(With inputs from agencies)
