According to Yonhap, on August 11 local time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted a message on social media, claiming that Russian troops used ballistic missiles manufactured in North Korea, the 'Zircon' missile, and guided aerial bombs to launch attacks on the Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine overnight. This resulted in the death of 6 civilians and injuries to 19 people. This is Zelenskyy's second public assertion of Russia's use of North Korean-made missiles this year. Last month, he stated that since August last year, Russia had once again used North Korean missiles to attack Ukraine after a one-year hiatus.
Last week, Zelenskyy said in a media interview that military cooperation between Russia and Ukraine is accelerating the accumulation of modern warfare experience. He also revealed that Ukraine is in contact with South Korean foreign affairs departments, hoping to obtain assistance with air defense systems. In response, the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on the 10th, "South Korea provides defense supplies to various countries in accordance with its own laws and policies."
A Korean Foreign Ministry official said on the same day, 'It is not possible to confirm the specific details of the communication through diplomatic channels.' The official also stated that South Korea has already provided assistance to Ukraine in various fields such as energy, infrastructure, healthcare, and education, and will continue to study ways to help Ukraine restore peace and reconstruction.
Regarding the air defense systems and drones mentioned by Zelensky, the South Korean side classifies them as lethal weapons. A source from the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that so far, South Korea's principle position on not providing lethal weapons remains unchanged. They will continue to monitor the situation and related developments closely and will continue to negotiate with the Ukrainian side.
South Korean media pointed out that South Korea believes that North Korea may request Russia to transfer advanced technologies in areas such as intercontinental ballistic missiles and strategic nuclear submarines, as a condition for sending troops to Russia. However, the South Korean government currently judges that Russia has not fully provided such advanced military technology to North Korea.
