▲ John Kirby, National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications, is seen answering questions during a press briefing at the White House in Washington on March 2, 2023 in this captured image. (Yonhap)

US-Ukraine-S Korea

Whether to provide lethal aid to Ukraine is up to S. Korea: White House

By Byun Duk-kun

WASHINGTON, March 2 (Yonhap) -- Whether South Korea will provide direct military assistance to Ukraine is up to the country itself, a White House official said Thursday, calling it a "sovereign decision" that each country has to make.

John Kirby, National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications, said the U.S. already appreciates South Korea for the assistance it has provided to the East European country amid Russia's ongoing invasion of the country.

"We want all nations to support Ukraine to the best that they can. We don't want any nation to help Russia kill more Ukrainians, but it (helping Ukraine) is a sovereign decision each nation has to decide," he said when asked if the U.S. wants South Korea to provide weapons to Ukraine.

The remarks come after Ukraine's ambassador to South Korea Dmytro Ponomarenko asked Seoul to provide "lethal weapons" to Ukraine in a Seoul forum held Monday.

Kirby reiterated the need for each country to make its own decision with regard to Ukraine.

"These are sovereign decisions and we want every nation to act in accordance with what they believe they can handle from their own national security perspective," Kirby told a White House press briefing.

He insisted that "South Koreans have already been very helpful."

"They've been attending these Ukraine contact defense groups and we appreciate them," he told the press briefing.

South Korea has yet to provide direct military assistance to Ukraine, but it has helped backfill U.S. stockpile of ammunition.

Pentagon spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, noted the allies are again discussing a potential U.S. purchase of South Korean ammunition.

"The United States has been discussing with South Korea the possibility of purchasing ammunition from South Korean industry," he told a daily press briefing earlier in the day.

"But beyond that, I don't have anything new to provide," he said when asked if the U.S. was also seeking to purchase any weapons from South Korea to provide to Ukraine.

[https://youtu.be/IcHXO-Jgvmo]

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