North Korean materiel and troops in Ukraine – both a threat and opportunity for Seoul

For the ROK defence industry, defence aid provision is an excellent opportunity to showcase the efficacy of South Korean arms under real world operational conditions without placing ROK troops at risk. If such weapons perform well, this will serve as excellent promotional testimonials for future arms sales.

Lastly, active facilitation of Ukrainian defence efforts places South Korea amongst the club of nations which will be favourably considered when Kyiv eventually awards both civil rebuilding and military development contracts for the restoration of Ukraine once the war ends.

As for exactly what kinds of munitions and armaments the Yoon administration should send, that is an expansive topic that deserves its own elaborative article. Suffice it to say, the ROK government should make up its mind on military aid to Kyiv sooner rather than latter, with a substantial rather than tokenistic quantum of aid if delivery approval is given, along with an expedited shipment timeframe and minimal caveats regarding armament use. This will strengthen Seoul's moral authority amongst Ukraine's coalition of supporters, since some nations in the collective west dither in their military backing for Kyiv.