SEOUL/KYIV, July 15 (AFP)- South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said on Saturday his country will provide a bigger batch of military supplies and humanitarian aid to Ukraine during a visit to Kyiv for a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

The surprise trip came after Yoon attended a NATO alliance submit in Lithuania and visited Poland this week, where he expressed solidarity with Ukraine against Russia's invasion.

South Korea is a U.S. ally and the world's ninth biggest arms exporter, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) think tank. But it is also wary of Russia's influence over North Korea and has been resisting Western pressure to help arm Ukraine directly.

In a press conference, Yoon said South Korea plans to provide "a larger scale of military supplies" to Ukraine this year, following last year's provision of non-lethal supplies such as body armour and helmets. He did not give more details.

Yoon said South Korea also plans to provide Ukraine with $150 million in humanitarian aid this year, following about $100 million in 2022.
It would also cooperate with Kyiv in projects such as infrastructure construction, which can be backed by concessionary loans from South Korea, he said.

"We are discussing everything that is important for the normal and safe life of people," Zelenskiy said, thanking Yoon for "powerful" support.