SEOUL -President Yoon Suk Yeol suggested that South Korea would go beyond providing humanitarian and economic aid to Ukraine if it is subjected to a significant civilian attack, signaling a change in his previous opposition to arming Ukraine.

Yoon stated his administration has been looking into how to defend and reconstruct Ukraine, much as South Korea got international assistance during the 1950–1953 Korean War, in an interview with Reuters before his state visit to the U.S. the next week.

"It might be difficult for us to insist only on humanitarian or financial support if there is a situation the international community cannot condone, such as any significant attack on civilians, massacre, or serious violation of the laws of war," Yoon added.

After excluding the notion of providing Ukraine with lethal help for more than a year, Seoul has expressed a willingness to do so.

South Korea, a significant artillery ammunition producer and important U.S. ally, has so far tried to avoid enraging Russia because of its businesses there and Moscow's influence over North Korea, despite growing demand from western nations for access to military supplies.

According to both international and domestic law, Yoon added, "I don't think there will be limits to the extent of the support to defend and restore a country that has been illegally invaded." We will, however, take the most appropriate action given our connection with the warring parties and battlefield events.

More than a year after ruling out the notion of providing lethal aid, Seoul made the first indication that it would be willing to give weapons to Ukraine.

Despite growing pressure from western nations for the delivery of weapons, South Korea, a significant artillery ammunition producer and important U.S. ally, has so far managed to avoid enraging Russia because of its businesses there and Moscow's influence over North Korea.

According to both international and domestic law, Yoon asserted that there wouldn't be any restrictions on the amount of support provided to defend and rebuild an unjustly invaded nation. However, "we will take the most appropriate measures taking into account our relationship with the parties engaged in the war and developments on the battlefield."

Yoon responded that the allies are concentrating on bilateral steps to increase information-sharing, joint contingency planning, and joint implementation of the plans when asked if they would imagine an Asian counterpart of NATO's nuclear planning group that included Japan.

As part of Seoul's efforts to take a more active role in Washington's nuclear policy toward the North, South Korea and the U.S. held tabletop exercises in February that mimicked a nuclear assault by North Korea.

Yoon said, "I believe greater measures than what NATO has should be planned in order to respond to a potent nuclear attack.

Although there has been significant progress between the United States and South Korea, it would be more effective to establish this system first, in my opinion, even if Japan were to join.

With the North threatening "more practical and offensive" action in response to South Korea-US exercises and refusing to respond to inter-Korean hotlines, tensions have risen recently. Yoon said he is willing to engage in negotiations for peace but is against holding a "surprise" summit with Kim Jong Un to "show off" to voters. He criticized previous administrations for making rash, ill-informed announcements of inter-Korean discussions that did little to foster trust. In order to leave a positive legacy, Yoon's predecessor Moon Jae-in worked to set up a historic meeting between Kim and the U.S.

Donald Trump as president in 2018. Giving relief to those in need might start a conversation, and both parties could expand on that conversation to discuss more delicate issues like the economy and military.

In exchange for nuclear disarmament, Yoon's administration last year proposed COVID-19 relief and outlined plans to deliver economic assistance, but Pyongyang rejected the proposals. As Beijing increases diplomatic and military pressure on Taipei to recognize Chinese sovereignty, Yoon has become more outspoken about the tensions in the Taiwan Strait, which China claims as its own. Yoon contends that these tensions resulted from efforts to impose a status quo change and that the Taiwan problem affects everyone, not just China and Taiwan.