If South Korea were to agree to Zelensky’s request, it could further strain ties with Russia and impair its own defence, analysts say
4-MIN READ4-MIN ListenPark Chan-kyongPublished: 8:00am, 11 Aug 2026South Korea may have been steadfast in its support for Ukraine against Russian and North Korean forces, but Kyiv’s request for air defence systems could prove to be a step too far for Seoul to accept.In addition to South Korea’s legal and policy limits on arms transfers to countries at war and its own defence needs, providing such weapons to Ukraine could further strain its ties with Russia, according to analysts.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged South Korea to provide air defence systems to his forces, warning that North Korea is gaining valuable battlefield experience from its involvement in the war and obtaining advanced military technology from Russia, which could pose a growing threat to Asian countries.In a social media post on Saturday, Zelensky warned that “a decision has been made for 30,000 to 50,000 North Koreans to be deployed on the territory of Russia”, a figure higher than his earlier estimate of 30,000 made in July. He provided no further details.
Therefore, South Korea “should have closer cooperation with Ukraine”, he said.
Zelensky said: “We would very much like to receive support from South Korea in the form of what we lack – air defence systems.” In return, Ukraine could help South Korea with drone technology, among other things, he added.
