President Yoon's Visit to Ukraine Draws Foreign Media Attention... "Shows Cooperation with NATO"

AP·AFP and Other Foreign Media Show Interest in Whether Weapons Are Provided

President Yoon Suk-yeol made a surprise visit to Ukraine, which is at war with Russia, on the 15th (local time) and met with President Volodymyr Zelensky, drawing attention from foreign media who described it as "showing South Korea's cooperation with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)."

AP News reported on President Yoon's visit to Ukraine, stating that it "demonstrated South Korea's cooperation with NATO by expressing support for a country invaded by Russia." In particular, during the meeting with President Zelensky, President Yoon referred to South Korea’s history of overcoming the scars of the Korean War and developing into a prosperous nation, saying, "The current situation in Ukraine reminds me of South Korea over 70 years ago."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

AP explained, "South Korea is not a NATO member but is considered a global partner of NATO alongside countries such as Japan and Pakistan," adding, "The war in Ukraine especially reminded us that a security crisis in a specific region can have global repercussions."

However, AP noted that while President Yoon pledged to increase support to President Zelensky, he did not mention the provision of weapons.

Professor Leif Eric Easley of Ewha Womans University’s Department of International Relations said in an interview with AP, "President Yoon’s visit reflects his diplomacy based on a global mindset," and "It showed solidarity with NATO partners to uphold a rules-based international order."

AFP also reported that "President Yoon made his first visit to war-torn Ukraine and promised humanitarian aid and an expansion of non-lethal military support." AFP highlighted South Korea’s policy on arms support, noting that "South Korea, the world’s ninth-largest arms exporter, has long maintained a policy of not supplying lethal weapons to conflict zones."

Germany’s dpa news agency reported that President Zelensky appealed to President Yoon to join in rebuilding infrastructure, saying, "Schools, hospitals, homes, and businesses have all been destroyed by Russian missiles and enemy shelling."

Earlier, President Yoon and President Zelensky held a 110-minute meeting in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, in the afternoon. This was their second meeting since they met at the Group of Seven (G7) summit held in Hiroshima, Japan, in May.