[따져보니] Ukraine arms support… How far?

[앵커]
Controversy is brewing as the government says it will consider providing weapons to Ukraine in response to North Korea‘s troop dispatch to Russia. I will discuss with reporter Kim Joo-young whether it is okay to provide weapons. Reporter Kim: What will change from the support for Ukraine so far?

[기자]
Yes, so far, our country has only provided humanitarian aid such as medical supplies and non-lethal weapons such as protective clothing to Ukraine. The mood changed when North Korea’s deployment of troops to Russia was confirmed. On the 24th, President Yoon Seok-yeol said, “The principle is not to provide lethal weapons, but we will review it flexibly depending on the activities of the North Korean military.” Afterwards, the possibility of providing lethal weapons was raised. ‘Lethal weapon’ is a concept that includes both offensive and defensive weapons that can be used in combat.

[앵커]
Lethal weapons are not only for offense but also for defense. If we provide weapons support, what kind of weapons can we send?

[기자]
Experts believe that it is possible to support already outdated defensive weapons, such as weapons that shoot down drones or missiles. Hawk, Mistral, and Igla surface-to-air missiles have already been replaced with other domestic weapons, so support was considered possible. Support for offensive weapons is not being considered at this stage, but military experts say that, if supported, it would include tanks and armored vehicles that were imported from the Soviet Union in the 1980s and are now subject to retirement, as well as American-made general-purpose bombs, which our military possesses in the largest quantity in the world. It was analyzed that support could be provided.

[앵커]
I’m just making an assumption, but there are a ton of weapons that can be sent. Are there any legal issues with providing support like this?

[기자]
Yes, our Defense Acquisition Program Act and Foreign Trade Act each have a provision that arms exports must be used for peaceful purposes. The Military Supplies Management Act also states that ammunition can be rented only when it does not affect our national defense. Depending on how this law is interpreted, support to Ukraine may or may not be applicable, so if support for lethal weapons becomes visible, controversy is inevitable in the National Assembly and elsewhere. .

[앵커]
Supporting these weapons could be seen as directly entering the war, but will there be any repercussions in the international community?

[기자]
The most problematic thing is that it could be an excuse for Russia to transfer major military technologies, such as ICBMs, to North Korea. Furthermore, the possibility of Russia intervening in an emergency on the Korean Peninsula may increase. The international situation, which hopes to end the long war, is also a problem. The US presidential election is less than a week away, and former President Trump, the Republican candidate, has announced that he will stop the war in Ukraine as soon as he is elected. There is a bar. It is being pointed out that our priority is to keep pace with the response of the international community, including the UN Security Council, rather than providing direct arms support.

Park Won-gon / Professor of North Korean Studies at Ewha Womans University
“I think providing lethal weapons is Korea’s last resort. After that, there is no way to control Russia.”

[앵커]
As the international situation is fluctuating, a cautious approach may be necessary.