Yoon Secretly Visits Ukraine... Discusses Reconstruction Projects at Summit Meeting

Visit to Bucha Massacre Site and Irpin City
Scheduled Summit Meeting with President Zelensky

President Yoon Suk-yeol made a surprise visit to war-torn Ukraine on the 15th (local time). He is also scheduled to hold a summit meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky, and since President Yoon has consistently expressed a strong commitment to Ukraine's reconstruction efforts during his recent NATO and Poland tours, detailed discussions on this matter are expected.

President Yoon and his wife, Kim Keon-hee, visited the massacre site in Bucha near Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, as well as Irpin, a civilian residential area that has been heavily targeted by missile attacks, the Blue House announced on the same day. After paying tribute at the Wall of Fallen Soldiers, President Yoon will hold a summit meeting with President Zelensky.

After completing a state-level official visit schedule in Warsaw, the capital of Poland, President Yoon Suk-yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee made a sudden visit to Ukraine on the 15th (local time) and laid flowers at the memorial site of the Bucha massacre near Kyiv. President Yoon is scheduled to hold a summit with President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss support measures, including humanitarian aid supplies.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

President Yoon and President Zelensky met again two months after their summit during the G7 summit held in Hiroshima, Japan, last May. At that time, President Yoon promised support including non-lethal supplies such as mine-clearing equipment and post-war reconstruction aid. Accordingly, President Yoon is expected to discuss additional support measures, including humanitarian relief supplies, with President Zelensky at this meeting.

President Yoon's visit to Ukraine was carried out abruptly without prior notice. Although President Yoon met President Zelensky at an official dinner for leaders held during the NATO summit, the plan to visit Ukraine was not disclosed during the tour.

Earlier, even when introducing President Yoon's tour schedule, the Blue House denied plans to visit Ukraine. At that time, Kim Tae-hyo, the first deputy director of the National Security Office, stated, "There are no plans to separately visit Ukraine or hold a summit meeting, nor are such plans currently underway."