White House respects Korea’s ‘sovereign decision’ on providing military aid to Ukraine

John Kirby, White House National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications, takes questions from Korean reporters at a press conference at a hotel in Washington Tuesday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

WASHINGTON – The United States respects the "sovereign decisions" of countries on whether to provide lethal aid to Ukraine in the war with Russia, a White House National Security Council (NCS) official said Tuesday, noting that it is ultimately up to Korea to decide whether to provide further aid.

"Every nation has to decide for itself whether or not it will support Ukraine and to what degree it will support Ukraine," said John Kirby, NSC coordinator for strategic communications, in a press conference with Korean reporters in Washington. "Some nations provide advanced lethal capabilities, some nations do not. We respect those sovereign decisions."

He was asked by a reporter about whether U.S. President Joe Biden will have a message for Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol regarding providing further aid to Ukraine, including ammunition, during their bilateral summit at the White House on Wednesday.

Kirby noted that it is "up to the elected leadership" and "the people of those countries" to "determine how much support, if they are willing to give support, to Ukraine."

However, he welcomed the "open, vocal way in which President Yoon has condemned this Russian aggression."

He said the United States is "grateful for the continued support that the Republic of Korea (ROK) provides to Ukraine — more than $200 million thus far— in humanitarian assistance and non-lethal capabilities for the Ukrainian armed forces."

On whether Biden has any plans to assuage the Korean public's concerns over the recent allegations that U.S. intelligence authorities may have been eavesdropping on internal communications of the Korean presidential office, Kirby stressed that Washington has been in touch with Seoul on this matter.

"I cannot nor will I speak to the unauthorized disclosures of classified information in the public domain," said Kirby, noting there is an ongoing criminal investigation and that the Pentagon "is doing their own assessment on the national security implications of these unauthorized disclosures."

He continued, "We have been in regular touch with relevant allies and partners with respect to these disclosures including with the Republic of Korea, at various levels, to inform them as best as we can and to answer any questions that they have" and to make sure "that they know we will continue to keep them informed appropriately."

Kirby said that the "focus of the discussion here over the next couple days" will be "very much focused on the future — the next 70 years of this ironclad alliance and to look for ways to deepen and grow and improve it."

He also said the United States appreciates Yoon's leadership in improving South Korea's bilateral relationship with Japan and noted "how much that is also making a difference in the region."

Kirby stressed this is "very much in keeping with President Biden's desire to improve our trilateral relations," noting that "these are two treaty allies who we respect and admire, whose security commitments we will absolutely abide by."

Mending Seoul-Tokyo ties is not beneficial only for the region but for the world, said Kirby, thanking Yoon for "his significant role in improving that relationship."

On North Korea, he said that the alliance "remains committed to pursuing dialogue with the DPRK to achieve a peaceful diplomatic resolution to longstanding differences and to achieve the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."

The DPRK is the acronym for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

He also noted that the issue of U.S. commitment to extended deterrence will be discussed over the next couple of days and that the two leaders "will have more to announce" on the matter at the end of their summit.

"We're very excited today to welcome President Yoon and his delegation to the White House for our second state visit, marking not only the first state visit for an Indo-Pacific leader during this administration but the 70th anniversary of the U.S.-ROK alliance," said Kirby. "This state visit will give us plenty of opportunities to talk about what we can do together to deepen and broaden this terrific alliance and partnership."

Yoon said in an interview with NBC Tuesday that the recent leak of classified Pentagon documents, which indicated that the United States has been gathering intelligence on allied countries including South Korea, will not affect the relationship between the two countries.

He said that “this matter is no reason to shake the ironclad trust that supports the U.S.-South Korea alliance, because it is based on shared values like freedom.”

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]