Kim Byung-joo: "Preconditions for Supporting Lethal Weapons to Ukraine Already Met"

President Yoon Suk-yeol stated in an interview with Reuters that South Korea could provide lethal weapons to Ukraine on a 'conditional' basis. In response, Kim Byung-joo, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, expressed concern, saying, "The preconditions have already been met in the war zone in Ukraine," and that the environment is now such that lethal weapons could be supplied at any time.

On the 20th, Kim said on CBS's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show,' "If this is the condition, lethal weapons could be supplied immediately. This is utterly absurd."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

He explained, "Among the three conditions President Yoon mentioned, the large-scale attacks on civilians have already occurred. The second condition was a mass massacre that the international community cannot tolerate, and news continues to report that mass massacres have been carried out. The third condition involves serious violations of the laws of war, and there are many cases of Russian forces violating the laws of war."

Kim said the president's remarks in the foreign media interview were planned, stating, "Such consultations between South Korea and the United States have probably already taken place behind closed doors." He added, "It is true that the U.S., NATO, and NATO members including Poland have continuously demanded that we supply lethal weapons to Ukraine. Currently, the most lacking item in Ukraine is artillery shells, and after the United States, South Korea has the largest stockpile of shells."

Kim also anticipated that support for Ukraine would be included in the agenda of the South Korea-U.S. summit. He said, "Joe Biden will naturally demand support for Ukraine. While it will certainly be part of the summit agenda, it might be excluded from the joint statement due to the significant international repercussions."

Some argue that indirect support with defensive weapons is not necessarily bad. However, Kim stated, "There is no clear distinction between defensive and offensive weapons. Our country has consistently urged understanding of South Korea's unique position, emphasizing that China and Russia cannot be made adversaries. But the Yoon Suk-yeol administration is engaging in diplomacy that is heavily one-sided, based on black-and-white thinking and ideological camps, putting the nation at risk."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.