SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A senior South Korean official stated Friday that Russia has provided North Korea with air defense missiles in return for the country deploying troops to bolster Russia’s war efforts against Ukraine.
According to the United States, South Korea, and Ukraine, North Korea dispatched over 10,000 troops to Russia in October, some of whom have just started fighting. What Russia would offer North Korea in exchange has not been apparent.
President Yoon Suk Yeol’s national security adviser, Shin Wonsik, stated on Friday on an SBS TV show that South Korea has discovered that Russia has supplied missiles and other material to strengthen its air defense system for the capital, Pyongyang.
Many analysts believe that after accusing South Korea last month of dumping propaganda leaflets over Pyongyang, North Korea feels compelled to improve its air defense capabilities for the capital. In the event that leaflets were dropped once more, North Korea threatened to use force. The military of South Korea has declined to verify whether or not it was responsible for the purported drone flights.
According to Shin, Russia has also provided North Korea with military technology, including those required to enable the North develop a dependable space-based monitoring system, as well as economic support.
Russian President Vladimir Putin previously stated that Moscow was prepared to assist the North in developing satellites during a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un last year. Foreign analysts doubt if North Korea’s first spy satellite, which was launched in November of last year, can yield imagery with military significance. In May, the North failed to launch a second spy satellite.
Concerns regarding potential Russian shipments of critical nuclear and missile technologies to North Korea have been raised by Seoul and Washington. Whether Russia has previously transferred such technology was not mentioned by Shin. Russia is unlikely to do so in the early phases of the North’s force deployment, according to numerous experts.
North Korea reportedly transported more artillery systems to Russia, the South Korean spy service informed legislators on Wednesday. The National Intelligence Service reported this month that North Korea has been resupplying Russia with conventional weapons since August 2023, sending over 13,000 containers of artillery, missiles, and other weapons.
Following high-level negotiations in Pyongyang this week, North Korea and Russia established a new deal to expand economic cooperation earlier this week, according to the nation’s state media.
The Associated Press, 2024. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. It is prohibited to publish, broadcast, rewrite, or redistribute this content without authorization.
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