The deal comes as Ukrainian leaders push for more weapons and aid to take advantage of a counteroffensive that is pushing Russian forces out of some areas they seized earlier in the war. And it eases the concerns of the US military – particularly the Army and Marine Corps – who worry that the Pentagon’s persistent shipments of ammunition to Ukraine are eating into their stockpiles. Other defense officials confirmed the broad outlines of the contract and said it would help inventory pressures, especially involving howitzer ammunition, which Ukrainian forces use at a high rate. Last week, a defense official briefing reporters said Ukraine was firing up to 7,000 rounds a day, while Russia was firing up to 20,000 rounds a day. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the deal had not been made public. South Korea’s defense ministry in a statement acknowledged ongoing talks to export an unspecified number of 155mm artillery shells to support depleted US stockpiles. However, the ministry said negotiations were proceeding on the assumption that the US would be the “end user” of those rounds and that Seoul maintained its principle of providing only non-lethal support to Ukraine. The deal with South Korea provides a sharp counter to US accusations earlier this month that North Korea was secretly sending artillery to Russia. It was not immediately clear whether the deal opens up the possibility of South and North Korean artillery firing at each other in Ukraine. North Korea has aligned itself with Russia over the war in Ukraine, while also blaming the United States for the crisis, insisting that the West’s “hegemonic policy” forced Russia to take military action to protect its security interests. But Pyongyang has repeatedly denied US claims that it has sent large supplies of artillery shells and other munitions to Russia, accusing the Biden administration of a smear campaign. Experts say North Korea has the potential to become an important source of ammunition for Russia, given the interoperability of its Soviet-rooted weapons systems. They say the North, which has used the distraction created by the war to increase missile testing at a record pace, could seek to receive Russian fuel and technology transfers in return to further advance its military capabilities as it pursues stronger missiles and nuclear warheads. Until now, South Korea has previously limited its support to Ukraine to non-lethal equipment and supplies. In April, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pressed South Korea to provide lethal weapons after Russia attacked Mariupol. Seoul’s defense ministry confirmed at the time that it had rejected the Ukrainian request for anti-aircraft weapons, citing the South Korean government’s principle of sending only non-lethal aid. International security experts said both North and South Korea maintain huge stockpiles of ammunition because of decades of tensions along their heavily fortified and militarized shared border. In a statement, Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Marty Miners said the U.S. government is in discussions to buy ammunition from South Korea’s non-governmental defense industrial base. The munitions would not come from South Korean military stockpiles. He declined to give details. Miners said any potential sales always take into account the readiness and requirements of the South Korean military and “will not reduce our defense posture or readiness to respond to regional threats.” He added that South Korea’s defense industry regularly sells military equipment and weapons systems to allies and partners, including the US South Korea has also signed several recent arms deals with European countries looking to bolster their defenses in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including nearly $9 billion in multiple contracts with Poland to provide F-16 fighter jets, training aircraft, tanks and shells. The munitions deal was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. Miners said he could not provide information on how quickly the munitions could reach Ukraine. He said the Pentagon is in regular talks with South Korea and other allies around the world about how best to support Ukraine in the war. The revelation of the deal came as Russia announced it was beginning to withdraw its forces from the key city of Kherson. Ukrainian officials acknowledged that Moscow’s troops had no choice but to leave Kherson, but remained cautious, fearing an ambush. Kherson was the only provincial capital of Moscow to be captured after the invasion of Ukraine in February. A Russian withdrawal would mark a serious setback for Moscow, while giving Ukraine a critical launching pad for supplies and troops to help its bid to retake other lost territory in the south, including Crimea, which Moscow seized in 2014 .
AP writer Kim Tong-hyung contributed to this story from Seoul, South Korea.
