South Korea’s model does not suit Ukraine in terms of security – Zelenskyy
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy does not rule out a partial application of the "Korean scenario" for Ukraine.
He said this in an interview with Le Point, Censor.NET reports, citing RBC-Ukraine.
After the Korean War, no real peace treaty was signed, yet South Korea managed to prosper. Zelenskyy was asked what he thought of this example.
"This is an example that shows values have prevailed. The development of South Korea is incomparable to that of North Korea, where we see real economic and civilizational decline. I am not even talking about people, but about infrastructure, the economy, and development," the Ukrainian president replied.
He noted that South Korea made a leap forward in civilization, technology, and the economy because it cultivates humanism.
"You ask me whether this scenario could happen in Ukraine? I tell you, everything is possible. It should be noted that South Korea has a great ally — the United States, which will not allow North Korea to take control of it," Zelenskyy said.
According to him, everything is relative, since South Koreans still face risks. Their economy is thriving and they are protected by alliances, but "as long as North Korea remains what it is, as long as the nature of its leadership does not change, South Korea will never be completely safe."
"And believe me, they have numerous air-defense systems that guarantee their security. Frankly, Ukraine is determined to obtain reliable security guarantees, such as the Patriot systems South Korea has," the president noted.
However, he added that comparisons with South Korea have their limits: North Korea’s population is just over 20 million, while Russia’s exceeds 140 million. The threats from Russia are therefore five, six, or even ten times greater.
"A complete repetition of the South Korean model would probably not suit Ukraine in terms of security. On the other hand, its economic model is a good example," Zelenskyy said.
