The government in March this year sent 40 tons of urgent medical supplies to Ukraine. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
By Kim Eun-young and Yoon Sojung
The government has pledged an additional USD 50 million in humanitarian aid to war-torn Ukraine.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul on June 21 announced the assistance, saying, “To Considering the growing suffering of the Ukrainian people and refugees due to the prolonged war, the Korean government will strive to deliver the additional aid as quickly as possible in hopes of relieving their pain.”
Based on negotiations between both governments, the latest shipment will focus on items Ukraine desperately needs and the plan is to send them by air on June 28. The first shipment of 25 tons sent in March included emergency medical supplies like respirators and tetanus injections.
Since March this year, Seoul has provided assistance worth USD 28 million to Ukraine directly or through international organizations and USD 12 million in aid for refugees near areas near the Ukrainian border in Poland, Moldova and Romania. It also offered military supplies from the Ministry of National Defense and a donation of USD 10 million through the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, raising Korea’s combined aid package to USD 100 million.
This is the largest volume of humanitarian aid Korea has given to a single country in one year.
eykim86@korea.kr
