Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun on Monday reiterated that sending an observation team to Ukraine is necessary for protecting national interest.

During a National Assembly National Defense Committee session, Minister Kim said sending an observation team differs from troop deployment.

He explained that a troop deployment refers to dispatching a unit of the armed forces under a specific command structure, while the observation team does not fall into such structures as it will go unarmed.

Kim added that the team is not being sent at the request of a warring country or the United Nations, but rather for Korea's own national interest.

The defense chief last month said monitoring or observation teams are essential for the military or government to prepare for any potential emergencies in the future, as he stressed the involvement of North Korean forces in the Ukraine war gives reasons for Seoul to monitor their activities.