North Korea appears to be preparing to supply more arms to Russia on top of some 20,000 containers it had already sent, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Dec. 23 based on its analysis of satellite images.
It follows a statement by the South Korean military, which said earlier the same day that North Korea prepares to send more troops and weapons to aid Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Seoul officials told WSJ that approximately 200 munitions factories in North Korea are running at full capacity to produce weapons, with Russia providing fuel and equipment to assist Pyongyang's arms production efforts.
Satellite images analyzed by WSJ show that some of these factories are being expanded. In return for its arms and ammunition sent to Russia, North Korea might have received as much as $5.5 billion, an analyst told WSJ.
By deepening military cooperation with Moscow, Pyongyang hopes to gain practical battlefield experience and the ability to modernize its weapons systems, said.
North Korea has emerged as Russia's leading ally in the full-scale war against Ukraine, providing not only ballistic missiles and artillery ammunition but also soldiers. The two nations signed a defense treaty in June, requiring either state to render military aid to the other in the event of an attack.
After reporting the first clashes with North Korean troops in the fall, Ukraine in December announced that Russia had begun using North Korean units in ground assaults in Russia’s Kursk Oblast.
South Korean officials have reported that at least 100 North Korean soldiers have been killed while fighting for Russia against Ukraine. According to lawmaker Lee Sung-kwon, North Korean troops are suffering high casualty rates in part due to their inexperience with drone warfare.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia is attempting to hide information about North Korean casualties.
Asami Terajima
