(LEAD) Yoon speaks with Ukrainian president by phone

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with details, background; ADDS photo)
By Lee Haye-ah

SEOUL, March 29 (Yonhap) -- President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol spoke by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday, his spokesperson said without disclosing details of the conversation.

Kim Eun-hye said in a brief statement that the call took place at 5 p.m.

"Please be informed that because Ukraine is currently in a state of war, the detailed contents of the phone call are difficult to disclose," she said.

Zelenskyy shared the news in a tweet.

"Thanked the people of the Republic of Korea for their support of Ukraine," he wrote. "Wished the President-elect success in his future responsible activities and expressed conviction in further fruitful cooperation!"

Yoon has previously expressed his support for the Ukrainian people in their fight against Russia's invasion.

On March 2, he met with Ukrainian Ambassador-designate to South Korea Dmytro Ponomarenko as the then-presidential candidate of the main opposition People Power Party and promised to do his best to send supplies and basic necessities to the Ukrainian people if the envoy made a request.

He also gave Ponomarenko a letter and a financial donation for the Ukrainian people in a personal capacity.

"It is only natural that the many free nations of the world, including the Republic of Korea, are condemning Russia's invasion, which is a clear violation of international law, and participating in sanctions," Yoon said at the time.

Since his election, Yoon has also spoken with U.S. President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

hague@yna.co.kr
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