South Korea urged to bolster support amid North Korea threats
Vladislav Seleznyov, a military expert and former spokesman for the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, criticised South Korea's approach to the war in Ukraine. In his opinion, a country with one of the strongest armies in the world could do much more for the defenders fighting against Russia.
Seleznyov believes that bolstering the Ukrainian army is in South Korea's interest. Such statements largely relate to North Korea's actions, which strongly support Russia and anticipate numerous benefits in return, including economic and military support, which could ultimately lead to greater threats for South Korea.
Ukrainian expert criticises South Korean authorities
"At present, our friends and partners in Seoul are preoccupied with internal political disputes and games, instead of allocating additional forces and resources to strengthen the Ukrainian army. It is obvious that the more North Korean armed forces are neutralised on the battlefields of the Russo-Ukrainian war, the fewer threats South Korea will have to contend with in the future," said Vladislav Seleznyov, as quoted by the Unian agency.
According to Global Firepower's rankings, South Korea has the fifth strongest army in the world, and many of the stockpiled resources in the country are seen as equipment that could significantly aid the Ukrainian army. South Korea is a leading producer of artillery ammunition, including 155-mm shells used in many NATO weapons that have reached the front as part of aid to Ukraine, as well as 105-mm shells.
Among South Korea's heavy military equipment, there are many domestic solutions, but also weapons originating from the United States and older Soviet-era equipment playing an increasingly minor role. Seoul has even started using T-80U tanks and BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles as training targets for drones, although observers believe such equipment would still be useful for Ukrainians.
Moscow's biggest ally
Selezniow emphasised that North Korea is Moscow's biggest ally, supporting it on a massive scale. This case involves not only ammunition and military equipment but also manpower. In the Kursk region of Russia, several thousand North Korean soldiers have already been deployed. Selezniow believes they should not be underestimated, because despite the lack of equipment and training, they "adapt to modern warfare quite quickly."
Initially, Pyongyang mainly supplied Moscow with artillery ammunition (in 2024, they provided more than all of Europe gives to Ukraine). Over time, the support also included the aforementioned soldiers sent to the Kursk region, as well as heavy military equipment, including multiple rocket launchers and M1989 "Koksan" systems.
