The recent visit by Ukraine’s delegation, led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, to South Korea appears to have concluded without any success in securing weapons. The delegates were not asking for arms as donations: Ukraine came for a purchase but was nevertheless refused.
According to South Korean TV broadcaster SBS, Ukraine sought to acquire the KM-SAM air defense system (Cheongung), as well as air defense and counter-battery radars, raising the issue directly with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol. However, these requests were reportedly denied. Correction notice: the headline of this article was changed to avoid misinterpretation. We apologize for any confusion it may have caused.
Read more: Ukrainian Defense Delegation Visits South Korea to Receive Weapons
The simple explanation points to production constraints, for instance, the KM-SAM is currently being manufactured for South Korea’s military and for export clients such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Iraq. The queue extends to 2030.
Yet, this reasoning does not clarify why Ukraine was also denied artillery ammunition or at least propellant charges, suggesting a broader reluctance from the South Korean government.
For as long as it's in place, the possibility of acquiring K2 tanks, K9 self-propelled artillery guns, or the HIMARS analogue, K239 Chunmoo, remains nothing more than a pipe dream for Ukrainians.
Further complicating matters, sources in the industry said South Korean defense companies, including LIG Nex1, Hanwha, and Hyundai Rotem, were instructed by the Ministry of Defense to refrain from deals with Ukraine due to legal restrictions on supplying weapons to nations at war.
This comes despite Seoul's earlier considerations in June 2024 to ease such restrictions in response to the growing alliance between russia and North Korea, which has included even direct involvement of North Korean troops in russia’s war against Ukraine.
If these reports are confirmed, the decision by South Korea would be unexpected and difficult to reconcile with its aggressive conquest of global defense markets. Especially since Ukraine itself came with a procurement proposal and the choice of requested items was very deliberate and objectively took into account potential Seoul's concerns, yet still met rejection.
A significant factor in this decision, as suggested by SBS, may be the potential return of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency. Without a clear signal from the new American administration, it seems unlikely that South Korea’s stance will change.
Read more: What Escalating Threat Ukraine Faces as North Korean Troops Bolster russian Forces
