Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
Yoon's Ukraine remarks may have been intentional before Biden summit
President Yoon Suk Yeol drinks water during an interview with Reuters at the presidential office in Seoul, Tuesday. Reuters-Yonhap
By Jung Min-ho
South Korea's military aid could be discussed in Washington next week: experts
By Jung Min-ho
Since President Yoon Suk Yeol said in Wednesday's Reuters interview that Seoul was open to the possibility of providing military aid to Kyiv in its war with Moscow, critics have slammed him for making another diplomatic blunder while answering a hypothetical question he did not have to respond to.
But some analysts told The Korea Times Thursday that his response may have been a highly calculated one ahead of next week's Seoul-Washington summit, in which he and U.S. President Joe Biden are expected to discuss South Korea's possible extension of support for Ukraine.
“Officials in Washington quickly welcomed Yoon's comment on Ukraine, which got me thinking that perhaps he said so as part of some sort of mutual understanding with Washington,” said Hyun Seung-soo, an expert on Russia at the Korea Institute for National Unification, a think tank.
Yoon said in the interview that large-scale attacks on civilians or serious violations of the laws of war could push South Korea to provide something beyond humanitarian or financial support to Ukraine.
Kim Joon-hyung, a professor of international relations at Handong Global University, said he believes Yoon made the remark to “see and assess” the reaction here ahead of the April 26 summit.
“I have expressed worries that South Korea's extension of support for Ukraine could be part of the main agenda at the meeting. Since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, Washington has relentlessly pressed Seoul to do so while offering alternative forms of support other than sending the country ammunition directly,” Kim said.
“Will Yoon take further steps to help Ukraine? I do not know. Perhaps it depends on South Koreans' reactions.”
So far, the reactions have been negative. Since the release of Yoon's remarks, the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has been excoriating him for raising geopolitical risks for South Korea by “making Russia an enemy.”
“Yoon should retract his comment about the possibility of supporting Ukraine militarily. The president cannot make such critical decisions over national security without the consent of the people and the National Assembly,” Rep. Park Hong-keun, the DPK's floor leader, said during a meeting.
Artillerymen of Ukraine's 80th Separate Air Assault Brigade rest their rifles against their car on the front line near Bakhmut in Donetsk region, April 18. AFP-Yonhap
No mainstream politicians have openly supported the idea of providing lethal aid to Ukraine. There are many reasons for such reactions: Russia has become an important market for many South Korean companies over the last 30 years and it has natural resources South Korea lacks. But most importantly, many fear Russia's influence over ― and its potential military partnership with ― North Korea.
“Amid a new cold war climate, there are apparently higher risks that Russia will help North Korea develop its new weapons, such as an intercontinental ballistic missile. During the Cold War in the 1980s, Russia started arming North Korea with its Mikoyan MiG-29s,” Kim Jong-dae, a defense expert, said. “A stronger partnership between the militaries of North Korea and Russia would increase the burden on South Korea's defense and security.”
Kim Jung-sup, vice president of the Sejong Institute, a think tank, believes Yoon's Ukraine remarks might have been a diplomatic message for the West as a whole rather than for the U.S. specifically.
“There has been a shared frustration not just in the U.S. but also in Europe, which believes South Korea is not doing enough to support Ukraine,” Kim said. “Perhaps Yoon was trying to give them a clear ― but only symbolic ― message. It may have nothing to do with his summit agenda.”