Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday urged South Korea to supply the war-torn country with military hardware including anti-air weaponry to help save the lives of Ukrainians and stop Russia from attacking other nations. “Ukraine needs aircraft, tanks and other military hardware,” he said in a 15-minute video address to South Korean lawmakers. “South Korea has various weapons that are required to protect us from Russian tanks, ships and missiles,” he said through an interpreter. Earlier, a South Korean defence ministry official said the country had turned down a Ukrainian request for anti-aircraft weaponry because of its “principled stance” on not providing lethal hardware. The official, who asked to remain anonymous, said the request was made when Ukraine ’s Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov called his South Korean counterpart Suh Wook on Friday. “The Ukrainian defence minister asked for weapons for air defence and Minister Suh politely repeated the South Korean government’s principled stance that its aid is confined to non-lethal materials,” he told This Week in Asia . The Chosun newspaper, quoting another defence ministry official who was not named, said Reznikov wanted South Korea to supply its “Shingung” shoulder-launched surface-to-air missiles, which are marketed internationally as the “Chiron”. Shingung missiles have been shown to be highly efficient in destroying low-flying targets such as helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft. But Kim Jong-dae, a military expert and former lawmaker of the pro-labour Justice Party, said Ukraine wanted South Korea’s Cheongung ground-to-air missiles that are designed to engage not only incoming enemy aircraft but also ballistic missile targets. South Korea in January confirmed the exports of Cheongung II medium-range surface-to-air missile (M-SAM2) to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in a deal worth US$3.5 billion. Kishida puts military strike option on table for Japan, in ‘show to China’ South Korea has provided Ukraine with some 1 billion won (US$813,100) in non-lethal military supplies, including bulletproof helmets, blankets and medical items. Zelensky said Seoul could do more, adding that “Russia would never stop the war voluntarily” despite international sanctions. Moscow, if left unchecked, would “spread death and poverty all around the world”, he warned, sporting his familiar military olive green T-shirt and what looked like weeks of stubble on his chin. As he had in speeches to other foreign nations, Zelensky played to South Korea’s national history, recalling how it was helped by the international community to successfully fend off attacks from the communist North during the 1950-53 Korean War. “Please help us to stand up against invaders,” he said, showing brief video footage that displayed widespread destruction in the southeastern city of Mariupol, including scenes of blood-soaked children dying in hospital beds, crying parents, apartment buildings being shelled and debris strewn in the streets. “We ask for your help and aid,” Zelensky concluded, as the interpreter’s voice choked up with emotion. Zelensky addressed Japan ’s Diet last month, calling for a trade embargo against Russia . Japan has imposed broad sanctions against Russia and while it has no plans to send weapons to Ukraine, it has shipped non-lethal military aid – a significant move given its pacifist constitution. Tokyo is also moving towards developing its offensive capabilities to hit back in the event of an attack on the country. To provide bulletproof vests, helmets and etc. for Ukraine, JSDF is loading them onto KC-767. This kind of mission is the first case for us, but we will do our utmost to swiftly deliver them to #Ukraine . For #Ukraine . pic.twitter.com/qwg2m3LEW8 — Japan Ministry of Defense/Self-Defense Forces (@ModJapan_en) March 8, 2022 South Korea’s Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong told members of the transatlantic security alliance Nato in Brussels on Thursday that Seoul plans to provide Ukraine with additional humanitarian aid worth US$30 million. Ukraine has received about 25,000 anti-aircraft weapons systems from the United States and its allies, helping Kyiv prevent Russia from establishing air superiority that would have aided Moscow’s ground invasion, the US’ top general said on Thursday. Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the US and its allies had also supplied Ukraine with 60,000 anti-tank systems. Zelensky directly pleaded to lawmakers and the White House during an address to Congress on Wednesday to quickly send weapons capable of defending his country’s skies from Russia’s missile and aerial attacks. Additional reporting by Reuters