South Korea to lend 500,000 rounds of artillery shells to US

South Korea reached an agreement last month to lend the United States 500,000 rounds of 155mm artillery shells that could give Washington greater flexibility to supply Ukraine with ammunition, a South Korean newspaper said, Report informs, citing Reuters.

The DongA Ilbo newspaper cited unnamed government sources as saying South Korea decided to "lend" the ammunition instead of selling, to minimise the possibility of South Korean shells being used in the Ukraine conflict.

It said the shells would be used primarily by the United States to fill its stockpile.

Both Seoul and Washington have confirmed they were negotiating an artillery supply deal, but there has been no official word on whether an agreement was finalised.

South Korea's defence ministry said the allies have been exploring ways to support Ukraine to help defend its freedom but declined to confirm specific discussions.
The US State Department did not immediately offer comment.

Foreign Minister Park Jin told reporters that he could not confirm the newspaper report, but added that the government position against providing lethal aid for Ukraine remains unchanged.

The report came after leaked highly classified US military documents highlighted South Korea's difficulties squaring pressure from western allies to help with the supply of military aid to Ukraine and its own policy of staying out of the conflict.

South Korea is a key US ally and major producer of artillery ammunition but has sought to avoid antagonising Russia in light of economic ties and Moscow's influence over North Korea.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is visiting Washington this month for a summit with US President Joe Biden, has said Seoul had not provided any lethal weapons to Ukraine and would expand humanitarian assistance instead.