By Islamuddin Sajid
ANKARA (AA) - South Korea on Friday said it has no plan to join any military move by Western countries in Ukraine, local media said.
Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong ruled out any possibility of South Korea’s participation in any possible US military move, stressing that no such plans are under consideration either in Seoul or other capitals, Yonhap News Agency reported.
During a meeting of a parliamentary foreign affairs committee, Chung was asked whether Seoul can continue to trust the US with its security after Washington’s weak response to the Ukrainian crisis.
He rejected any comparison between South Korea and Ukraine, saying: “The South Korea-US alliance is not only the foundation of our foreign affairs and national security, our own defense capabilities also are at a considerable level unlike Ukraine, so the people need not worry even a bit in light of the US response to the situation in Ukraine.”
While South Korea has not yet joined Western nations in imposing sanctions against Russia, Chung said Seoul will soon announce measures in line with the international community.
Currently, 64 South Korean nationals are in Ukraine and 36 of them wish to return to South Korea, according to the minister.
He said the South Korean Embassy in Kyiv is in contact with these people and preparing to evacuate them, but the situation is currently complicated because of the closure of the airport.
Russia launched its long-feared military intervention in Ukraine early Thursday, with President Vladimir Putin saying the operation aims to protect people “subjected to genocide” by Kyiv and to “demilitarize and denazify” Ukraine. He also called on the Ukrainian army to lay down its arms.