March 31, 2026
SEOUL – Seoul’s support for Ukraine is strictly humanitarian and the country’s position of not providing weapons remains unchanged, an official from the Foreign Ministry said on Monday.
The official said the government is providing “various forms of support to Ukraine on humanitarian grounds,” while maintaining its position that it does not supply lethal weapons to Kyiv.
The remarks came after Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko said in an interview with Russia’s state-run Tass news agency that Moscow has repeatedly conveyed to Seoul that any direct or indirect involvement in supplying lethal weapons to Ukraine would be unacceptable.
Rudenko also warned of possible repercussions, saying bilateral ties could suffer “serious damage” if South Korea does not comply with Moscow’s position.
South Korea has offered some measure of support for Ukraine since March 2022, shortly after Russia’s invasion began in February that year. The support initially included nonlethal aid such as helmets and medical supplies, later expanding to financial assistance and economic cooperation, including loans worth more than $100 million.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry added that it is closely monitoring military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, describing it as a violation of UN Security Council resolutions and a threat to South Korea’s security.