S. Korea to provide non-lethal military, medical supplies to Ukraine

SEOUL, March 15 (Yonhap) -- South Korea announced Tuesday it has decided to provide Ukraine with non-lethal military supplies, such as bulletproof helmets and blankets, as well as medical items.

Seoul's planned logistics support package worth 1 billion won (US$804,181) consists of about 20 items, including tents, meals, ready-to-eat (MREs), bedspreads and first-aid kits, the defense ministry said in response to Kyiv's repeated calls for support to help repel Russia's attack.

"As for details including how to ship them and other specific issues, (related) consultations are under way," Boo Seung-chan, the ministry's spokesperson, told a regular press briefing.

The ministry said last week that it sees "limits" in offering lethal arms to Ukraine in an apparent rejection of the country's request for weapons support.

Ukraine has requested humanitarian and military support, reportedly including rifles, anti-tank missiles and other weapons, from a number of other countries, as it is staging a desperate fight against the invading Russia.

Last month, Ukraine's top envoy in Seoul, Dmytro Ponomarenko, made a specific call for South Korea to help strengthen his country's cybersecurity capabilities.

sshluck@yna.co.kr
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