On November 7, 2024, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol indicated that the country's longstanding policy of not supplying arms to nations in conflict may be reconsidered due to North Korea's recent deployment of soldiers to Russia for the ongoing war in Ukraine. Yoon stated that discussions with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump included plans for a future meeting regarding North Korea's involvement in the conflict.
Yoon emphasized that South Korea would adjust its support strategy based on North Korea's level of involvement, suggesting that arms supplies to Ukraine could include defensive weaponry initially. This shift comes amidst accusations from South Korea and Western nations that North Korea has been supplying artillery and missiles to Russia.
In a related development, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated Donald Trump on his electoral victory, calling it a 'historic and convincing win.' Zelensky expressed the importance of strong U.S. leadership for global peace and affirmed Ukraine's reliance on American support against Russian aggression. Concerns persist in Kyiv regarding potential changes in U.S. military aid under Trump's administration, given his previous criticisms of Ukraine's handling of the conflict.
In economic news, the U.S. Department of Justice has sided with Argentina in a legal dispute over the seizure of its 51% stake in the oil and gas company YPF. The department's intervention aims to prevent a federal judge from enforcing a $16.1 billion judgment against Argentina, arguing that such an action would violate sovereign immunity principles. This case arises from Argentina's 2012 expropriation of YPF from Spain's Repsol, with potential implications for the country's ongoing negotiations with the International Monetary Fund.