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155 mm howitzer shells (from ROK Army Facebook page)

The South Korean Ministry of National Defense (MND) said Friday that discussions were underway on the exportation of ammunition “on the understanding that the US would be the end user.”

The remarks were a clarification after US news outlets reported that South Korea was supplying Ukraine with 155 mm artillery ammunition by way of the US.

The MND explained, “Discussions on the exportation of ammunition are underway between the US and South Korean companies to supplement stocks of 155 mm artillery ammunition in the US, where there has been a shortfall.”

It also stressed that there had been “no change in the government’s policy of not supplying lethal weapons to Ukraine.”

But the South Korean exports of artillery to the US could lead some observers to suggest that its action amounts to indirectly providing artillery to Ukraine.

On Thursday, the Wall Street Journal reported on a basic agreement reached between South Korean Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-sup and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on the US’ purchase of 100,000 rounds of South Korean 155 mm artillery ammunition in a meeting that took place during Lee’s visit to the US early this month. US officials closely acquainted with the agreement were quoted by the newspaper as saying the US planned to supply the ammunition in turn to Ukraine.

Lee’s meeting with Austin came at the 54th South Korea-US Security Consultative Meeting (SCM), which took place in the US on Nov. 3.

To date, the US has said it has provided or plans to provide Ukraine with 142 155 mm howitzers and 924,000 rounds of 155 mm artillery ammunition, at a cost of 1.2 million won per round. The situation has raised concerns in the US about its artillery stockpiles and production capabilities.

On Aug. 29, the Wall Street Journal reported that stockpiles of 155 mm rounds were “uncomfortably low,” and that the US had been unable to speed up the production of additional ones.

The 155 mm rounds are used for howitzers operated by ground forces, among other purposes. With the war in Ukraine dragging into the long term and focusing mainly on ground warfare, artillery firepower is assuming a larger role in place of the missiles and precision shells that featured early in the conflict.

An analysis in July by the UK’s Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) estimated that Russian forces were firing 20,000 artillery rounds per day, while Ukraine was firing around 6,000. The intensity and sustainability of both sides’ future offensives is likely to be decided by how much artillery ammunition they can secure.

To date, the South Korean government has supplied Ukraine with non-weapon military equipment, including gas masks, bulletproof helmets, tents, blankets, combat rations, medications, and bulletproof vests.

Last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was “aware that South Korea plans to provide Ukraine with weapons and ammunition,” predicting that this would have damaging consequences for relations between Seoul and Moscow.

But both South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and the MND insisted that South Korea had not supplied lethal weapons to Ukraine.

By Kwon Hyuk-chul, staff reporter

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]