South Korea is not yet considering supplying 155 mm shells to Ukraine
South Korea is not yet considering the possibility of direct supplies of 155 mm artillery shells to Ukraine.
This was reported by the Yonhap news agency, Censor.NET informs with reference to Interfax-Ukraine.
Citing its own sources, the agency noted that the possibility of supplying is not being considered, and also clarified that the Ukrainian side had not received such a request.
"Although the issue of supplying weapons to Ukraine is not currently being discussed, the official said that the issue of supplying defense weapons would be considered first," the report said.
Seoul also plans to start talks with Ukraine this week on a visit by Kyiv's special representative to South Korea, as the two countries have promised to step up measures in response to North Korea's deployment of troops in Russia.
A senior presidential administration official shared an intelligence assessment by South Korea and its allies that at least 11,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to Russia, some of whom have been sent to the western region of Russia near the border with Ukraine.
During a telephone conversation with President Yun Seok-ol on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would soon send a special delegation to South Korea to coordinate actions in response to North Korea's deployment of troops to Russia.
"It will take a day or two for the Ukrainian side to appoint a special representative and finalize the plan for the visit and discussions here," the official told reporters on condition of anonymity.
South Korea is considering sending a team to monitor North Korean military activities on the battlefields to assess potential security implications, as Pyongyang could receive military technology from Russia in exchange for deploying its troops and learning modern warfare tactics, the official said. Many believe the transfer could pose a "direct military threat" to South Korea.
Participation of DPRK troops in Russia's war against Ukraine
Earlier, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed Russia's involvement of North Korean soldiers in the war against Ukraine.
On October 25, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that, according to intelligence, the first North Korean military would be used by Russia in combat zones on October 27-28.
On October 28, the Pentagon said that the DPRK had sent about 10,000 of its military to Russia for training and further participation in hostilities against Ukraine, which would take place over the next "few weeks."
The Pentagon said that Ukrainian troops could use the American weapons provided to them against the North Korean military if the DPRK enters the war against Ukraine on the side of Russia.
Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder said that approximately several thousand North Korean soldiers are moving towards the Kursk region of Russia. A smaller number of them are already in the Kursk region.
