Canada has asked the government of South Korea to produce and deliver more artillery rounds to backfill supplies that Ottawa sent to war-torn Ukraine.
Last month, Canadian Defence Minister Anita Anand announced that the country would provide 20,000 artillery shells to Kyiv amid an ongoing Russian military offensive.
South Korea is a significant manufacturer of 155-millimeter ammunition since it operates K9 self-propelled howitzers.
According to a recent report by Reuters, a spokesman for South Korea’s defense ministry has confirmed Canada’s request for more artillery rounds.
However, the official did not provide further details since there are still “no official proceedings” related to the request.
Putting Pressure on South Korea
In addition to backfilling Canadian supplies of artillery rounds, the request is seen as a move to pressure South Korea to provide lethal aid to Ukraine, even indirectly.
Seoul announced that it has no plans to send lethal equipment to Kyiv to defend against Russian aggression.
Instead, the Asian nation has provided humanitarian assistance and delivered non-lethal items such as bulletproof helmets and medical kits to support Ukrainian soldiers.
Former South Korean President Moon Jae-in rejected the appeal of Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskiy to supply armored vehicles and anti-aircraft weapons.
According to South Korean broadcaster SBS, the potential deal with Canada could involve the delivery of 100,000 artillery shells.
“We are actively pursuing a plan to provide 100,000 rounds to Canada,” the report said, citing an unnamed high-ranking South Korean defense ministry official.
