South Korea Allocates $100M for Ukraine in 2027 Draft Budget as Foreign Ministers Meet to Mend Ties

Seoul has reportedly included $100 million for Ukraine in its draft budget for 2027, despite an ongoing diplomatic rift between the two countries over Kyiv’s public disclosure that it had handed over two North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) to South Korea.The allocation was requested by South Korea’s Foreign Ministry and follows an earlier pledge by President Lee Jae-Myung in July to help Ukraine, South Korean outlet JoongAng Ilbo reported on Tuesday, Nov. 10.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.The largest share, $50 million, is intended for a NATO trust fund for Ukraine in 2027, nearly triple the $16.7 million Seoul is contributing this year.Another $20 million is planned for targeted humanitarian projects, four times the current amount, while the remaining $30 million would come from a program that supports countries affected by armed conflict.Seoul’s humanitarian aid to UkraineSouth Korea began contributing to the NATO trust fund in 2024 and transferred a total of $34 million in 2024 and 2025.According to the report, the funds have been used to treat wounded Ukrainian soldiers and build military rehabilitation hospitals.Beyond medical care, the mechanism finances non-lethal aid for Ukraine such as communications equipment and counter-drone systems, fuel and combat rations.The humanitarian part of the package would build on Seoul’s existing aid to Ukraine, which has been channeled through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and UN agencies, including the UN Development Programme (UNDP), with a focus on health care, energy and the restoration of schools and other educational facilities. Other Topics of Interest Tanker Carrying Russian Diesel Abandons US-Bound Route as Trump-Putin Deal Stalls No Russian diesel cargo has reached the US since the Oct. 9 deal, while Ukrainian attacks have hit six Russian refineries since the beginning of November. During budget discussions, the chairman of a South Korean parliamentary committee urged the government not to let the recent diplomatic friction undo years of cooperation with Kyiv, JoongAng Ilbo reported.He argued that Seoul’s long-term national interests, including a possible role in rebuilding Ukraine after the war ends, should guide its current approach.South Korea’s Foreign Ministry reportedly also reaffirmed that Seoul would keep backing Ukraine, describing its support as part of the country’s role in the international community.Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha met his South Korean counterpart, Cho Hyun, later on Tuesday, after RBC-Ukraine initially reported that a meeting was planned in Paris on the sidelines of the G7 foreign ministers’ gathering on Nov. 9-10.“We had a meaningful conversation about ways to end the war,” Sybiha said, according to a statement from Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.“I appreciate the insightful views of Minister Cho, based on the Republic of Korea’s own historical experience,” he added, reaffirming Ukraine’s readiness to mend diplomatic ties based on mutual interests and a shared of understanding of the security threats posed by North Korea’s involvement in Russia’s war against Ukraine.“I am convinced that there will be new steps on the path to fully normalizing our bilateral relations. This is the result we are striving to achieve,” Sybiha concluded, reiterating his invitation for Cho to visit Ukraine.How the dispute unfoldedThe dispute began on Sept. 23, during the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, where President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine had transferred two North Korean soldiers to South Korea.The soldiers were captured in Russia’s Kursk region in January 2025, where they had been fighting alongside Russian troops.Shortly after, Jae-Myung criticized Zelensky for publicly revealing the information, accusing him of breaching a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) put in place over the transfer.“The repatriation of North Korean prisoners is an extremely sensitive issue with serious implications for diplomacy, national security and the situation on the Korean Peninsula,” Jae-Myung said at the time.Kyiv countered the criticism by saying that Seoul was informed of the speech in advance.Meanwhile, Russia has increasingly turned to foreign fighters to sustain its war against Ukraine, with North Korea becoming its main source of troops.On June 19, 2024, Moscow signed a defense pact with Pyongyang, with both countries officially recognizing North Korean troop deployments in April 2025.According to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) in June, North Korea has emerged as an unexpected winner in Russia’s war. The country’s economy grew nearly 4% in 2024, the fastest pace in eight years. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 90% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.