[News Terms] US Announces Provision of 'Jipsoktan' to Ukraine

A cluster bomb (集束彈·cluster bomb) is a type of bomb that contains multiple smaller bombs inside a single larger bomb. It is a weapon designed to cause mass casualties over a wide area and is also known as a "mother-child bomb."

When a large mother bomb dropped from an aircraft detonates in the air near the target point by a timer, hundreds of small submunitions scatter and explode. Typically, the lethal radius of one submunition is about 25 meters, but approximately 40% remain unexploded, leaving behind unexploded ordnance that causes significant harm to civilians, similar to landmines.

The devastated scene in the city of Mariupol in southern Ukraine, which was attacked by Russia in April last year.
[Photo by Mariupol TASS/Yonhap News]

The United States and Russia have continuously used cluster bombs in major wars, including in Kosovo, Iraq, Lebanon, and Afghanistan, with reports indicating that over 13,000 casualties occurred by 2008.

Human rights organizations and the International Committee of the Red Cross have consistently called for a ban on cluster bombs due to their mass destruction risks. In response, the "Oslo Declaration" was adopted in Oslo, Norway, in 2007, calling for a complete ban on the use and production of cluster bombs. In May 2008, an agreement among about 100 countries in Dublin, Ireland, led to the enforcement of the "Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM·Oslo Convention)" starting August 2010, which legally prohibits the use of cluster bombs under international law. However, major cluster bomb producing and possessing countries such as the United States, China, Russia, and South Korea did not participate in this agreement.

On the 7th (local time), the United States announced it would provide cluster bombs, which are banned under international law, to Ukraine. In response, Russia, which is already using cluster bombs, as well as some Western allies, publicly opposed the move.

Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, condemned the U.S. on the 8th (local time), stating, "The provision of cluster bombs is a desperate gesture and evidence of helplessness, stemming from Ukraine's failure in counteroffensive operations." On the same day, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed opposition, saying, "The UK is a country that has joined the CCM, which bans the production and use of cluster bombs." Margarita Robles, Spain's Minister of Defense, also said, "We support Ukraine's legitimate defense, but cluster bombs are not acceptable."

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