The US department of defence has asked its forces in South Korea to provide equipment to help Ukraine in the war against Russia, the US military said on Thursday, adding the move has “zero impact” on its operations in the Asian country.
US Forces Korea (USFK), which has about 28,500 troops in South Korea, said the move was part of US efforts to help Ukraine with its inventories.
“This has zero impact on our operations and our ability to execute on our ironclad commitment to the defence of our ally, the Republic of Korea,” USFK spokesperson Col Isaac Taylor said in a statement.
USFK declined to provide further details, including what types of equipment and how much had been requested or already transferred.
The statement comes after the New York Times reported earlier this week the US was diverting munitions in Israel and South Korea to Ukraine for use in the war against Russia. Moscow calls its actions in Ukraine “a special operation”.
Asked about the report, Seoul’s defence ministry said it was closely co-ordinating with the US to maintain readiness posture.
South Korea’s policy is not to supply lethal weapons to Ukraine. Seoul has sought to avoid antagonising Russia, both for economic reasons and because of the influence Moscow can exert with North Korea.
A US official said in November Washington was in talks with South Korea to buy artillery shells to send to Ukraine, though Seoul insisted the US must be the ammunition’s end-user.
Pentagon asks US forces in South Korea to provide equipment for Ukraine
Image: Viacheslav Ratynskyi/Reuters
The US department of defence has asked its forces in South Korea to provide equipment to help Ukraine in the war against Russia, the US military said on Thursday, adding the move has “zero impact” on its operations in the Asian country.
US Forces Korea (USFK), which has about 28,500 troops in South Korea, said the move was part of US efforts to help Ukraine with its inventories.
“This has zero impact on our operations and our ability to execute on our ironclad commitment to the defence of our ally, the Republic of Korea,” USFK spokesperson Col Isaac Taylor said in a statement.
USFK declined to provide further details, including what types of equipment and how much had been requested or already transferred.
The statement comes after the New York Times reported earlier this week the US was diverting munitions in Israel and South Korea to Ukraine for use in the war against Russia. Moscow calls its actions in Ukraine “a special operation”.
Asked about the report, Seoul’s defence ministry said it was closely co-ordinating with the US to maintain readiness posture.
South Korea’s policy is not to supply lethal weapons to Ukraine. Seoul has sought to avoid antagonising Russia, both for economic reasons and because of the influence Moscow can exert with North Korea.
A US official said in November Washington was in talks with South Korea to buy artillery shells to send to Ukraine, though Seoul insisted the US must be the ammunition’s end-user.
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