The regime of North Korea received anti-aircraft missiles and other defense systems from Russia in payment for the shipment of approximately 10,000 soldiers to support its invasion of Ukraine, as confirmed this Friday by the National Security Advisor of South Korea, Shin Won-sik.
“We believe that Russia has provided anti-aircraft missiles and equipment to strengthen Pyongyang’s vulnerable air defenses.“Shin explained in an interview with the South Korean network SBS.
The South Korean official explained that in addition to the anti-aircraft missiles, Moscow provided various advanced military technologiesespecially related to satellites. This includes support after Pyongyang’s failed attempt to launch a spy satellite into orbit in May.
Military collaboration between Russia and North Korea is not new, but it has reached a critical level with this exchange. Pyongyang seeks to leverage the alliance to bolster its technological and military capabilities, including surveillance systems and advanced weaponry, while Moscow gains reinforcements on the battlefield in Ukraine.
Shin also claimed that Kim Jong-un’s regime received financial aid as part of the agreement with Russia.
According to reports from the National Intelligence Service (NIS) from South Korea, North Korean troops would be actively participating in combat operations in Ukraine, integrated into Russian airborne and marine units.
The region of Kurskthe scene of recent clashes between Ukrainian and Russian forces, is one of the key points where Pyongyang soldiers would have been deployed.
The American newspaper The Wall Street Journal reported that a high-ranking North Korean general was wounded in a Ukrainian attack in Kursk.
The strengthening of cooperation between Russia and North Korea was reflected in the strategic alliance treaty signed in June between Kim Jong-un y Vladimir Putinwhich forces both regimes to assist each other militarily in the event of an attack.
This pact has allowed Pyongyang access advanced military technology and Russia’s vast natural resources, such as oil and gas.
Pyongyang justified the deployment of troops in Ukraine as an act “in accordance with the regulations of international law,” although it avoided officially confirming the sending of soldiers.
The North Korean Foreign Minister, Choe Son Huiduring a recent visit to Moscow, stated that North Korea “will firmly stand by our Russian comrades until the day of victory” and called the invasion of Ukraine a “sacred struggle.”
The military exchange between Russia and North Korea has led South Korea to evaluate a change in its policy of not sending lethal weapons to Ukraine. According to analysts, the growing collaboration between Moscow and Pyongyang represents a strategic threat that could affect security on the Korean Peninsula and in the region in general.
Experts warn that this exchange between Moscow and Pyongyang It not only reinforces its military capabilities, but also consolidates an authoritarian alliance that challenges the international community. In addition, it increases the risks of destabilization on the Korean peninsula, where tensions were already high due to the North Korean nuclear program.
(With information from EFE and AFP)
