South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol wrapped up a weeklong visit to Europe on Sunday after sending a strong message of solidarity with like-minded nations championing the values of freedom and democracy and underscoring his commitment with a surprise visit to Ukraine.
What began as a two-nation, five-day swing through Lithuania and Poland ended as a three-nation, seven-day trip to the two countries and Ukraine in the strongest show yet of South Korea’s support for Kyiv in its war against Russian aggression.
During a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Yoon promised to provide the country with a package of security, humanitarian and reconstruction assistance, dubbed the “Ukraine Peace and Solidarity Initiative,” which would include additional military supplies larger in scope than last year’s and US$150 million worth of humanitarian aid, or $50 million more than last year.
Zelenskyy thanked South Korea for its continued security and humanitarian assistance, saying he hoped for South Korea’s participation in the construction of a recovery center in Ukraine.
The war in Ukraine was a recurring theme during Yoon’s visits to Lithuania and Poland as well.
In Vilnius, where he attended a summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Yoon held bilateral meetings with 13 leaders and in each agreed to work together to quickly end the war and restore peace in Ukraine.
Yoon also sought to deepen security cooperation with NATO by announcing Seoul’s decision to increase military information sharing with the alliance through the Battlefield Information Collection and Exploitation System, which helps members share military secrets and determine the next steps based on the information.
In addition, South Korea and NATO adopted the Individually Tailored Partnership Program to institutionalize bilateral cooperation in 11 areas, ranging from antiterrorism and nonproliferation to emerging technologies and cyberdefense.
A highlight of the Lithuania visit was a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida that was closely watched in the wake of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s approval of Japan’s plan to release treated radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean.
Yoon asked Kishida to include South Korean experts in monitoring the discharge.
After wrapping up a three-day visit to Vilnius, Yoon traveled to Warsaw for a three-day official visit that the presidential office said was equivalent in protocol to a state visit, given state visits do not exist in the Polish government system.
Poland is the first European nation Yoon has traveled to on a bilateral visit.
Ukraine featured prominently in Yoon’s summit with Polish President Andrzej Duda, with Yoon telling a joint press conference afterward the two leaders agreed their countries can become “optimal partners” for Ukraine’s reconstruction.
The reconstruction effort is expected to be a massive project worth at least $1 trillion, and Poland’s proximity to Ukraine has made it a natural hub for businesses seeking their share.
Yoon and Duda also discussed enhancing bilateral cooperation in nuclear energy, arms and infrastructure as part of efforts to deepen the two countries’ strategic partnership established in 2013.
Source: Yonhap News Agency
