Donald Trump, the President of the United States, expressed support for a column advocating the sale of South Korea's mid-range surface-to-air missile, Cheongung-II, to Ukraine.
According to Yonhap News on September 5, Trump shared a Washington Post column titled 'How Trump Can Help Ukraine Develop Its Own Patriot Missiles' on his social media platform, Truth Social.
The column, written by Mark Thiessen, a foreign and security policy expert who has worked for former President George W. Bush and former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, suggests that Trump should pressure South Korea to sell its stockpiled M-SAM (Cheongung-II) to Ukraine. Thiessen argues that providing interceptors to Ukraine would alleviate the burden on the United States and improve relations.
He added, 'Trump is justifiably angry that South Korea has refused to support operations in the Strait of Hormuz. There is no better way for South Korea to improve relations than to provide interceptors to Ukraine, which would also lessen the burden on the U.S.'
Thiessen emphasized that this is an opportunity for South Korea to prove itself as a reliable ally.
He also claimed that selling Cheongung-II aligns with South Korea's national interests, noting that while South Korea has legal restrictions on selling weapons to countries at war, it has sold Cheongung-II to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which is also involved in conflict.
Furthermore, he raised concerns about advanced technology potentially falling into enemy hands, arguing that Ukraine should be granted permission to produce Patriot missiles, as sharing manufacturing technology could lead to it being transferred to Russia, Iran, North Korea, and China. He suggested that Ukraine should be allowed to co-produce a new, lower-cost version of the Patriot, the PAC-3 ACE, which lacks the most advanced capabilities.
Trump did not comment further but shared the column's title and link on Truth Social. This action is interpreted as a push for South Korea to sell Cheongung-II to Ukraine, consistent with Trump's previous practice of sharing media that aligns with his views.
The Cheongung-II was developed to counter aerial threats, including North Korean ballistic missiles. It is a key asset in South Korea's missile defense system, capable of intercepting missiles and aircraft at altitudes of 15 to 20 kilometers. Since 2020, it has been exported to major Middle Eastern countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq.
However, some analysts suggest that Trump's sharing of the column may not only pressure South Korea regarding the sale of Cheongung-II but also address broader issues, such as South Korea's lack of cooperation in the Iran conflict.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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