Hamas Using 'North Korean Weapons'... Did North Korea Transfer Tunnel Technology?

Hamas' 'Tunnel Network' Used in Attacks
Israeli Security Group: "North Korea Likely Transferred It"
Joint Chiefs: "Direct and Indirect Links from Weapons to Tactics"

Amid repeated reports that the Palestinian armed faction Hamas has used North Korean-made weapons, an analysis has emerged suggesting that the 'tunnel technology' used in attacks on Israel was also transferred from North Korea. South Korean military authorities have already concluded that North Korea and Hamas are directly and indirectly connected in various fields, including arms trade, tactical doctrine, and training.

According to the US-based Radio Free Asia on the 17th, Sarit Zehavi, head of the Alma Research and Education Center, an Israeli security organization, stated, "It is unclear whether Hamas directly obtained tunnel technology from North Korea, but it seems certain that North Korea passed the technology to Hezbollah, and the technology transferred to Hezbollah eventually ended up in Hamas's hands." Hezbollah is a Lebanese armed group.

Hamas militants transporting rockets through tunnels installed in the Gaza Strip. [Image source=Captured from X (formerly Twitter)]

Zehavi emphasized again, "Hezbollah's tunnel technology is based on North Korean knowledge, and North Korean technology was likely indirectly used in the tunnels Hamas employed in attacks on Israel." She added, "Israel's terrain includes areas of concrete and desert; the concrete terrain is similar to North Korea's environment, so technical assistance was probably received."

Earlier, the organization revealed in a 2021 report that North Korea's Chosun Mining Development Trading Corporation provided excavation methods to Hezbollah's 'Jihad Construction Foundation' and dispatched six North Korean personnel near the Syrian border. It was also suggested that the tunnel technology transferred to Hezbollah was passed on to Hamas, possibly being used in the construction of the so-called 'Hamas Metro' tunnels.

The 4th Tunnel located in Yanggu-gun, Gangwon Province
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Since the Korean War, North Korea has a history of digging numerous tunnels into South Korea and is regarded as having unparalleled expertise in tunnel construction. It has previously exported equipment, technology, and personnel to Myanmar's military junta. When the Israeli military identified Hamas's 'tunnel network' in 2014, the layout and structure closely resembled North Korean tunnels in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), drawing significant attention.

Hamas has built multiple deep underground labyrinths, several kilometers long, to evade surveillance by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and conduct combat operations, especially in the southern desert areas. The tunnels dug by Hamas are reportedly well-constructed enough for an adult male to move through by slightly lowering his head and to stay inside for several months. These are 'strategic tunnels' capable of transporting not only armed militants but also vehicles and military supplies.

Joint Chiefs of Staff: "North Korea and Hamas Directly and Indirectly Linked from Weapons to Tactics"

Weapons suspected to be North Korean-made seized by the Israeli military from Hamas. [Image source=Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) website]

There have already been multiple indications that Hamas used 'North Korean-made weapons' in attacks on Israel. Previously, weapons presumed to be North Korean F-7 grenade launchers were spotted in videos featuring Hamas militants, and several weapons appearing to be North Korean were found in photos of arms seized from Hamas by the Israeli military. The F-7 is a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launcher known to have been widely exported to the Middle East.

After Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on the 7th, South Korean military closely monitored the possibility of links with North Korea based on Hamas's tactical patterns. The military's assessment is that the surprise attack, carried out in the early hours of a holiday, involved a large-scale rocket barrage that neutralized Israel's rocket defense system 'Iron Dome' and included infiltration using paragliders?tactics possibly transferred from North Korea.

Israel's air defense system 'Iron Dome' intercepted rockets launched from the Gaza Strip over the southern city of Ashkelon on the 8th (local time).
[Image source=Yonhap News]

A senior official from the Joint Chiefs of Staff told reporters the previous day, "The anti-tank weapon F-7 used by Hamas is the name North Korea uses when exporting the RPG-7," and explained, "Recently, North Korean-made 122mm rocket artillery shells, presumed to be used by Hamas-affiliated armed groups, were found near the Israeli border." He added, "There is ongoing identification of evidence that North Korea has exported various weapons to the Middle East and armed groups."

The official also said, "In December 2016, North Korea publicly demonstrated training involving paragliders to strike the Blue House under Kim Jong-un's supervision, and this know-how may have been transferred to Hamas." He assessed, "In the future, North Korea is likely to utilize the 'Hamas-style' surprise attack tactics, which proved effective this time, in potential attacks against South Korea." He emphasized, "We will continue to improve and develop countermeasures based on thorough analysis of combat experience."

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