After Completing Poland Visit, Yoon Chooses to Go to Ukraine; Reconstruction and Support Projects to Be Detailed

Ukraine's Request for Visit... Deliberations on Safety and Necessity
Visit to Bucha Massacre Site and Irpin City with First Lady Kim Keon-hee
Scheduled Summit with President Zelensky... Detailed Support Plan Expected

President Yoon Suk-yeol, who embarked on a European tour, made a surprise visit to Ukraine, which is at war with Russia, on the 15th (local time). After much deliberation over security, safety, and the necessity of the visit, President Yoon made the final decision, accompanied by First Lady Kim Keon-hee. President Yoon is expected to hold a summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on-site to discuss reconstruction projects and detailed support plans.

The presidential office stated that President Yoon and First Lady Kim visited the Bucha massacre site near Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, and Irpin city, where missile attacks were concentrated on civilian residential areas. After paying tribute at the wall commemorating the fallen soldiers, President Yoon will hold a summit with President Zelenskyy.

After completing a state-level official visit schedule in Warsaw, the capital of Poland, President Yoon Seok-yeol made a sudden visit to Ukraine on the 15th (local time) and is viewing photos related to the Bucha massacre site 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's visit to Ukraine was carried out abruptly without prior notice. Although President Yoon met President Zelenskyy at an official dinner held during the NATO summit, the plan to visit Ukraine was not disclosed during the tour. Earlier, even when introducing President Yoon's NATO tour schedule, the presidential office denied any 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, nor is it currently being pursued." President Yoon was scheduled to return after a 2-night, 3-day visit to Poland starting on the 12th, but the tour period was extended to 4 nights and 6 days as he headed to Ukraine.

According to the presidential office and others, this visit was made at the request of Ukraine. Accordingly, while preparing for the NATO tour, coordination took place, and after much deliberation over security, safety, and the necessity of the visit, President Yoon made the final decision. A presidential office official explained, "The fact that the head of the other country politely invites a visit reflects expectations regarding South Korea's role in the Ukraine war, which is a critical issue for the international community," adding, "We accepted it as a request embodying that."

President Yoon and President Zelenskyy met again two months after their summit at the G7 summit held in Hiroshima, Japan, in 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, at this meeting with President Zelenskyy.

The intention to participate in the so-called "Second Marshall Plan" for Ukraine's reconstruction has already been formalized. The government and private sector plan to provide support worth about $52 billion (approximately 66 trillion won) for urgent facility restoration and other efforts, and also participate in the reconstruction of major Ukrainian cities, estimated at up to $100 billion (approximately 127 trillion won). The government's plan is to advance market dominance with a 'one-team' system of government and private sectors through customized projects that satisfy both export market development and economic revitalization.

After a summit with Polish President Andrzej Duda, President Yoon said, "We agreed that South Korea and Poland can be the optimal partners in Ukraine's reconstruction," and added, "The memorandum of understanding on Ukraine reconstruction cooperation signed today will serve as a good foundation to expand cooperation between companies of both countries." This is interpreted as the beginning of a trilateral cooperation framework among South Korea, Poland, and Ukraine for Ukraine's reconstruction. Poland, being Ukraine's closest neighboring country, is highly likely to become a hub for post-war reconstruction. During his visit to Poland, President Yoon also met with Korean companies involved in Ukraine's reconstruction projects and discussed government support measures.

Among the major city reconstruction plans, South Korea is also entering the $100 billion-level "Kyiv Smart City Master Plan" market, which outlines an advanced urban system. If the government and private sector prepare swiftly, it is expected to be an opportunity to secure various projects such as advanced transportation systems and smart water management. Accordingly, South Korea and Poland plan to form a deputy minister-level consultative body starting in September to share information on Ukraine's reconstruction projects and jointly discover and promote projects. They also decided to establish a Ukraine reconstruction cooperation platform in Warsaw, Poland, to support rapid information exchange between government and private sectors.