North Korea, Seoul does not rule out sending Hawk missiles to Kiev after deployment of soldiers in Russia

(Adnkronos) – South Korea is considering the possibility of sending Hawk missiles or other military equipment to Ukraine following the deployment of North Korean soldiers to Russia, said Yoo Yong-won, a member of the ruling People Power party. The American-made Hawk missiles have a range of 40 kilometers and were decommissioned in South Korea in 2022, after the acquisition of the locally produced Cheongung. President Yoon Suk-yeol, meanwhile, denounced that North Korean soldiers could be sent to the front earlier than expected, a scenario considered “serious” by Seoul and which would require “a decisive and united response” from the international community. A Ukrainian special envoy will soon be in Seoul to discuss cooperation with South Korea, South Korean government sources told the South China Morning Post. Seoul, which until now has limited itself to sending humanitarian aid to Kiev and weapons to Poland, had already anticipated the possibility of sending weapons to Kiev but only defensive ones. Sources from the South Korean presidency specify that Seoul has no immediate plans to provide lethal weapons to Ukraine and would initially only consider sending defensive weapons.