South Korea as a middle power and Ukraine

It’s going to be much harder to continue sitting on the fence in Washington

On 26 April, President Yoon Suk Yeol will attend a State Dinner at the White House. Before, after and even during the polite dinner conversation, one question will recur: Why is South Korea, a leading middle power, not doing more to assist Ukraine? To date, South Korea has avoided sending military armaments to Ukraine. A statement provided to Reuters in the lead up to the visit has attempted to address the issue – but still avoids making any commitment. It’s going to be much harder to continue sitting on the fence in Washington.

South Korea’s immediate reaction to the Russian invasion of Ukraine attracted substantial criticism. South Korea agreed to participate in U.S.-led sanctions, but hoped to “swiftly wrap up” consultations to enable exemptions for local firms. There is an important distinction to be made between ‘implementing’ unilateral sanctions and ‘adhering to’, ‘abiding by’ or ‘complying with’ third-country sanctions. The former is a proactive political act that attracts dire…