Seoul denies reports that it will sell artillery shells to US for transfer to Ukraine
‘Secret deal’ would see transfer of enough 155mm shells for several weeks of fighting (Photo:Linguasia/Unsplash)
South Korea has denied reports that it plans to sell artillery ammunition to the United States for transfer to Ukraine, U.S. newspaper Bloomberg reported on Nov. 11, citing South Korean top officials.
Seoul officially maintains a position that it will not send lethal arms to Ukraine.
“South Korea has provided 4.7 billion won ($3.5 million) worth of non-lethal aid, which includes bulletproof vests, blankets, helmets and medicine,” Bloomberg said.
However, it has not accepted multiple requests from Ukraine to supply weapons to help Ukraine in the war against Russia.
The statement from Seoul came after U.S. newspaper the Wall Street Journal reported that Seoul had struck a secret deal with the United States for it to indirectly supply Kyiv with artillery.
According to the publication’s sources among U.S. officials, “Washington would purchase 100,000 rounds of 155 mm artillery from South Korea, that would then be sent to Ukrainian forces.”
It said this number of shells should be enough for several weeks of intensive fighting.
The WSJ sources said that the U.S. artillery ammunition stock is quickly being depleted, and already in August had reached a level that made the Pentagon “worry.”
The agreement with the United States allegedly “allows South Korea to honor its public commitment not to transfer lethal weapons to Ukraine, while helping Washington, Seoul’s primary ally, in containing North Korea.”
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