Russian Embassy in North Korea Uses 8-Year-Old Photo of Korean Shells Claiming "For Killing Residents"

False Claim Using Army Blog Photo from 8 Years Ago
In North Korean Language: "Namjosun Shells, Russia Residents for Killing"

The Russian Embassy in North Korea made a baseless claim that South Korean weapons are being used to kill Russian soldiers and civilians. However, the photo of the South Korean shell presented by the Russian side was found to have been taken from an army blog post from eight years ago.

According to military authorities on the 14th, the Russian Embassy in North Korea shared the situation in Ukraine on Facebook on the 12th, which was Russia's National Day, stating, "We are celebrating Russia's National Day amid a challenging situation." The embassy claimed, "The Western coalition led by the United States has instigated a bloody conflict," labeling Ukraine as 'Nazi forces' while insisting that Russia is the 'victim country.'

Photo of Korean shells posted by the Russian Embassy in North Korea on the 12th. The embassy claimed that our weapons were being used to kill Russian civilians, but it was confirmed that the photo was taken from an army blog posted 8 years ago. [Image source=Captured from the Russian Embassy in North Korea Facebook]

Photo of artillery shells posted on the Army blog Aminuri in June 2015 [Image source=Aminuri]

The embassy specifically shared a photo of a South Korean shell labeled on the surface as '155mm Howitzer TNT,' saying, "South Korea is trying all sorts of schemes to avoid being blamed for directly supplying weapons to Ukraine." Previously, the Yoon Suk-yeol administration exported 100,000 rounds of 155mm shells to the United States last year with a proviso that the 'final user is the United States,' and earlier this year, signed a contract to provide 500,000 shells to the U.S. on a 'loan basis.'

However, the photo of the shell in question was found to be identical to one posted on the Army blog Aminuri in June 2015, eight years ago. At that time, the army introduced the 8th Corps' K-9 self-propelled howitzer maritime firing training on Aminuri, posting photos of soldiers inside the howitzer along with the actual 155mm shells. The lot number (manufacturing number) on the shell in the photo posted by the Russian Embassy in North Korea was also identical to the one in the army's past post.

Despite this, the Russian side made the absurd claim that "No matter what South Korea devises, their weapons are ultimately used to kill Russian soldiers and peaceful civilians." Notably, the problematic Facebook post by the embassy included a Korean translation, which was written in a 'North Korean style' expression, leading to speculation that someone familiar with North Korean expressions directly wrote it or that the North Korean side was involved.

North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin are shaking hands.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

▶ Below is the translation posted by the Russian Embassy in North Korea using 'North Korean style' expressions

Namjos?n (South Korea) is trying all sorts of schemes to avoid being blamed for directly supplying weapons to Ukraine. They hand over their tanks to Pols’ka (Poland), which delivers old Soviet-made equipment used in military service to the Ukrainian authorities, and according to U.S. orders, they eventually produce ammunition that will be used in Ukraine. No matter what Namjos?n devises, their weapons are anyhow used to kill Rossiya (Russia) people, that is, soldiers and peaceful civilians. In this regard, I would like to recall a fine Korean proverb: 'Beans sprout where beans are planted, and red beans sprout where red beans are planted.' Rossiya also has a similar proverb: 'You reap what you sow.'

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.