Ukraine’s Ambassador to Korea Dmitro Ponomarenko said on the 27th, “I hope that the Korean government will find a solution to supply Korean lethal weapons to Ukraine.”
Ambassador Ponomarenko delivered a keynote speech at the ‘Special Seminar on the 1st Anniversary of the Ukrainian War’ hosted by the Korea Defense Research Institute (KIDA) in the afternoon, saying, “Ukraine will have an opportunity to discuss this issue directly with the Ministry of National Defense and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration of the Republic of Korea. If so, I would be very grateful.”
“If the capabilities of conventional weapons are comparable to those of Russia, the war will end sooner with a victory for Ukraine,” he said. We need standard ammunition and equipment support,” he stressed.
“I sincerely thank you for all your support for Ukraine. But given the scale and intensity of the war, Ukraine needs much more support without delay.”
He said, “I would like to emphasize that aid to Ukraine must also be provided through stronger sanctions. Namely, the introduction of a complete ban on Russian energy imports, blocking of all Russian banks without exception from the SWIFT payment network, a total ban on Russian propaganda outside of Russia, the complete withdrawal of foreign companies from the Russian market, and the EU/G7 targeting Russian tourists. and entry bans to other world countries.”
“The position of the world community must be easy to understand and clear. “The only way for the Russian Federation to break out of international isolation without losing its economic potential is the complete withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine’s territory in terms of internationally recognized borders.”
He also expressed his appreciation for the South Korean military’s support for non-lethal weapons.
He said, “I am deeply grateful to the Korean government and the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Korea for the support of non-lethal military equipment. I hope that the Korean government’s support will continue and expand in the future.”
Over the past year since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the South Korean government has provided humanitarian aid totaling $100 million. The South Korean government has announced that it will provide additional aid to Ukraine in the amount of 130 million dollars this year as well.
“We are infinitely grateful for all contributions that help prevent humanitarian disasters and resist the Russian aggressors. We will always remember the goodwill of Koreans.” Meanwhile, the Ministry of National Defense made clear its opposition to support for lethal weapons to Ukraine, saying, “The government needs to review it.”
Jeon Ha-gyu, a spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, said at a regular briefing at the Ministry of National Defense that morning, “I think there needs to be a necessary review at the government level regarding weapons support.”
Spokesman Jeon emphasized, “There is no change in the government’s policy of not providing lethal weapons to Ukraine.”
However, regarding the humanitarian aid plan for the reconstruction of Ukraine, “Korea is actively promoting humanitarian aid, including the reconstruction of Ukraine. Regarding the part where discussions are underway, I have no specific answers.”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.