National Security Advisor Wi Sung-lac briefs the South Korean press corps on President Lee Jae-myung's schedule during his visit to the NATO summit, at a press center in Ankara, Turkey on July 7 (local time). / Courtesy of Yonhap News

President Lee Jae-myung pledged a $100 million comprehensive aid package to Ukraine during his attendance at the NATO summit. However, the administration reaffirmed its existing policy centered on humanitarian assistance, explicitly ruling out the provision of lethal weapons.

National Security Advisor Wi Sung-lac announced the package during a press briefing held on July 7 (local time) at the press center in Ankara, Turkey. "We have consistently supported Ukraine through various channels, including humanitarian aid," Wi stated. "This $100 million commitment scales up our contributions as an extension of those ongoing efforts."

"Through this $100 million comprehensive support commitment to Ukraine, we have demonstrated in action our resolve to contribute to international peace and security," Wi said.

He added, "To ensure that this devastating war comes to an end as swiftly as possible and that peaceful daily life is restored, South Korea will continue to join forces with the international community as a responsible global powerhouse."

The administration drew a clear line against providing lethal weaponry. "Our stance regarding support for Ukraine remains unchanged," a senior Blue House official emphasized. "Our position is that we do not supply lethal weapons."

"While we are preparing diverse forms of assistance across multiple non-lethal areas, the specific breakdowns of the support have not yet been finalized," the official noted. "We will continue our support in other sectors while keeping lethal weapons excluded."

President Lee is also scheduled to hold a series of bilateral summits on July 8 with leaders of NATO member states, including Norway, the Netherlands, and Romania.

"Given that these meetings take place on the sidelines of the NATO summit, we anticipate that measures to advance defense industry cooperation with each nation will be a primary topic of discussion," Wi explained.

In his meeting with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, President Lee is expected to discuss cooperation regarding renewable energy and supply chains.

Talks with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof are projected to focus heavily on expanding cooperation in cutting-edge science and technology, including artificial intelligence (AI) and batteries. Meanwhile, discussions with the Romanian President are set to center on broadening partnerships in nuclear energy and infrastructure.

Separately, President Lee held an informal pull-aside meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on the same day to discuss future bilateral cooperation. The Canadian side had provided a prior briefing to President Lee over the weekend regarding the outcome of its preferred bidder selection for a submarine project. Furthermore, both leaders agreed to expand their comprehensive strategic partnership across sectors including AI, energy, critical minerals, and defense.

                                                                                                         Park Young-hoon