South Korea shifts stance, sending crucial arms to Ukraine

The strategic partnership agreement between Russia and North Korea has had a very positive effect on Ukraine. This breakthrough concerns South Korea's change in stance regarding the supply of weapons to Ukraine. Here’s what one of the world's giants in arms production will donate to Ukraine first.

South Korean OSINT analyst Mason_8178 in his post on X (formerly Twitter) estimates that the first delivery from South Korea for the Armed Forces of Ukraine may include 105-mm and 155-mm artillery ammunition and AT-1K Raybolt anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM).

Ukraine is currently dependent on artillery ammunition supplies from the West. One of the largest producers of 155-mm artillery ammunition is South Korea, which has significant production capabilities due to its geopolitical situation.

Until now, South Korea has avoided active engagement in support of Ukraine due to its neutrality policy. However, this does not mean anything was happening, as South Korea indirectly helped Ukraine by replenishing the American ammunition stockpile.

This time, the assistance will be direct, and hundreds of thousands of shells may reach Ukraine, which could be crucial by the end of 2024 if Americans, due to internal situations in the country (presidential elections, which Donald Trump may win), halt arms supplies.

The leading producer of artillery ammunition in South Korea, Poongsan Corporation, offers a full range of ammunition from the simplest solutions to those capable of engaging targets at 60 kilometres.

In the first group, we have unguided KM107 shells, a variant of the American M107 shells containing 6.6 kilograms of TNT encased in a cast steel body with a percussion fuse. Artillery systems with long guns can engage targets at a distance of up to 30 kilometres.

Additionally, South Korea has K305 DPICM shells with a similar range but with a cluster warhead containing a mix of 88 bomblets based on the American DPICM. The second type is the K307 shell, weighing 46.4 kilograms and equipped with a gas generator, increasing its firing range to 41 kilometres. A cluster variant K310 containing 49 K221 DPICM bomblets was also developed in this case.

Theoretically, the delivery of K315 shells, a recent innovation, is also possible. These shells have a gas generator and a rocket booster capable of striking targets at a distance of 60 kilometres. Similar to the American M549A1, they have a slightly reduced TNT charge compared to the K307 due to the need to allocate space for the rocket motor and fuel.

The AT-1K Raybolt is an ATGM introduced into service in the Korean armed forces in 2017 and has also been purchased by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Structurally, the AT-1K Raybolt, similar to the FGM-148 Javelin, is a "fire and forget" weapon attacking targets from above with a powerful tandem HEAT warhead capable of penetrating up to 89 centimetres of armour behind reactive armour, according to the manufacturer.

This ensures it can eliminate any Russian tank without the slightest problem and provides high safety for its operators, who can immediately evacuate after firing. Additionally, the system can be safely fired from enclosed spaces.

The target is hit by an optoelectronic head, which sees the thermal image of the target. The system has a striking range of up to 3 kilometres, which is less than that of, for example, late Javelins or the Akeron MP. Still, it makes the AT-1K Raybolt a lightweight solution, with the total weight of the launcher and missile being around 20 kilograms.