South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol makes surprise visit to Ukraine

South Korean Pres. Yoon visits Ukraine to show solidarity with NATO and provide humanitarian and financial support. He toured cities affected by Russian invasion and met with Ukrainian Pres. Zelenskyy.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol made a surprise visit to Ukraine on Saturday, offering support for the invaded country in its war with Russia while demonstrating his own nation's cooperation with NATO.

Mr. Yoon’s office said he travelled to Ukraine with his wife, Kim Keon Hee, following trips to Lithuania for a NATO summit and to Poland. It’s his first visit since Russia invaded Ukraine almost 17 months ago.

Mr. Yoon toured Bucha and Irpin, a pair of small cities near Kyiv where bodies of civilians were found in the streets and mass graves after Russian troops retreated from the capital region last year. He laid flowers at a monument to the country's war dead.

The South Korean leader was scheduled to hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later in the day, Mr. Yoon’s senior adviser for press affairs, Kim Eun-hye, said in a statement.

South Korea, a key U.S. ally in Asia, joined international sanctions against Russia and has provided Ukraine with humanitarian and financial support to Ukraine.

But the Asian nation, a growing arms exporter, has not provided weapons to Ukraine in line with its long-standing policy of not supplying arms to countries actively engaged in conflict.

Earlier this month, Mr. Yoon said in written responses to questions from The Associated Press that supplies of de-mining equipment, ambulances and other non-military materials “are in the works” following a request from Ukraine.