[News Today] STANCE SHIFT IN UKRAINE AID

[LEAD]
With the conflict esclating in Ukraine, the country is urgently calling for support from its allies. South Korea, open to supplying defensive weapons, reconsidered its stance to include lethal arms after North Korea's troop deployment. However, with Donald Trump's election victory and his commitment to ending the Ukraine war, Seoul is now taking more of a cautious approach.

[REPORT]
The South Korean government officially announced North Korea's troop deployment to Russia on October 18.

It warned that depending on the level of North Korea-Russia military cooperation, Seoul can consider providing attack weapons to Ukraine.

Yoon Suk Yeol / President (Oct. 24)
We had the principle of not supplying lethal weapons but it can be flexibly reviewed depending on N. Korean troop activity.

However since the election win of former U.S. President Donald Trump who had declared to end the Ukraine war, subtle changes are detected within the government.

One senior presidential official stated an in-principle view that if Russia and the North do not stop their military cooperation, Ukraine's defense capabilities need reinforcements.

On whether Seoul would provide defensive weapons, the official said it will first hear what Ukraine needs to say.

The shift in stance appears to consider President-elect Trump's camp whose officials warn against an escalation in the conflict and criticize the Biden administration for easing limits on military aid to Kyiv.

Michael Waltz/ National security advisor nominee (Nov. 19, Fox News)
It's another step up the escalation ladder. The administration responds by lifting this restriction,
N. Korea sends more soldiers, S. Korea is now saying it may get engaged.

Meanwhile Ukraine which is trying to defend its frontlines has reiterated that it will only request defensive weapons from South Korea.

Dmytro Ponomarenko/ Ukrainian ambassador to S. Korea (Nov. 19)
Anti-missile radars, it could be anti-missile rockets which are purely defensive which helps us to save our people.

A special delegation of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy led by the country's defense minister is expected to visit Seoul when President Yoon returns from his South America tour.