South Korea is reportedly considering the delivery of offensive weapons to Ukraine, a significant departure from its previous stance of providing only humanitarian aid. This potential shift comes as a response to the provision of North Korean military personnel to the Russian forces, according to South Korean publication Yonhap, citing high-ranking officials in the country. Observers note that this marks a marked change from South Korea's earlier humanitarian-focused aid approach. In June, Seoul's leadership hinted at the possibility of military support for Ukraine following a bilateral agreement signed between North Korea and Russia.

The reports from South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) indicating that more than a thousand North Korean special forces soldiers have been handed over to the Russian military prompted Seoul to call for their immediate withdrawal. "If the illegal cooperation between North Korea and Russia continues, [South Korea] will not stand aside but will respond resolutely alongside the international community," said Kim Tae-hye, a national defense advisor, as quoted by journalists.

On Tuesday, October 22, South Korea pledged to implement "phased measures" against North Korea and Russia due to their expanding military collaboration. The National Security Council convened a session to assess the situation after NIS reported that North Korea decided to dispatch about 12,000 troops to aid Russia. Council representatives stated that such actions pose a "significant security threat" to both South Korea and the international community and represent a "flagrant violation" of United Nations Security Council resolutions prohibiting military cooperation with North Korea.

Analysts have highlighted that Kremlin officials reportedly fear Seoul's reaction to the deployment of North Korean soldiers. Additionally, North Korean authorities have denied transferring their troops to assist Russian armed forces.

  War in Ukraine, North Korea, South Korea

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