Pence Says South Korea Could Send Interceptors to US for Use in Ukraine

Former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said South Korea could provide missile interceptor systems to the U.S., allowing Washington to deploy them for use in Ukraine as Russia intensifies ballistic missile attacks. He argued the move could help address shortages in U.S. air-defense missile stockpiles while giving Seoul a chance to repair strains in its alliance with Washington tied to the Iran issue.

Pence, who visited Kyiv, told CNN on August 23 that he discussed gaps in Ukraine’s air defenses in a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. He said Ukrainian forces have locked Russia into a battlefield stalemate since Moscow’s invasion, while innovations in drone warfare have enabled strikes inside Russian territory and the sinking of ships in the Black Sea. In his view, Ukraine is winning the war.

At the same time, Pence said Ukraine has become more vulnerable as Russia has increased ballistic missile attacks and Kyiv lacks enough interceptor systems such as Patriot and THAAD. “As winter approaches, Ukraine is going to face a serious vulnerability,” he said. He was referring to a situation in which the U.S. has been unable to supply enough interceptor missiles to Ukraine because air-defense stockpiles have been strained by the situation involving Iran.

Pence said Zelenskiy had asked the U.S. to provide just 5% of its Patriot inventory, saying that alone would be enough to get through the winter. He added that other allies may also have a role to play. “South Korea has very sophisticated intercept capabilities, and there have been several exchanges this week between President Zelenskiy and South Korea,” he said.

The remarks appeared to refer to Zelenskiy’s recent request for South Korean support for Ukraine’s air defenses. Pence said President Lee Jae-myung could go a step further by providing interceptor missiles that the U.S. could deploy in the Middle East, Ukraine or with European allies. Politico reported that ties between Seoul and Washington have sharply deteriorated after President Donald Trump publicly said Lee had refused to support Iran, ordered a substantial reduction in joint U.S.-South Korea military drills, and suggested he could meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Pence’s comments suggested South Korea could begin rebuilding a strong relationship with the U.S. if it moved to support missile supplies, the report said.

Kim Dong-hyun, Hankyung.com reporter 3code@hankyung.com