Military: Possibility of Short-Range Ballistic Missile Support to North Russia

"Estimated Total of Over 2,000 Containers Sent to Russia"

Military authorities stated on the 2nd that North Korea may have supplied Russia not only with artillery shells but also with portable surface-to-air missiles and short-range ballistic missiles.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

A military official told reporters that the weapons and equipment presumed to be supplied by North Korea to Russia include ▲ 122mm rocket artillery shells and 152mm artillery shells compatible between the two countries, T-series tank shells ▲ rocket artillery, field artillery, rifles and machine guns, mortars ▲ portable surface-to-air missiles and anti-tank missiles ▲ short-range ballistic missiles. The official assessed, "It is estimated that a total of about 2,000 containers have been sent to Russia through North Korea's Rajin Port so far. Assuming these containers were loaded with 122mm rocket artillery shells, that would be over 200,000 rounds, and if loaded with 152mm shells, over 1 million rounds."

Earlier, the U.S. White House released satellite images on the 13th of last month (local time) showing ships loaded with numerous containers operating between North Korea's Rajin Port and Russia's Dunay Port near Vladivostok. On September 13th, Ukraine's intelligence agency also announced that Russia was receiving North Korean-made weapons.

The official evaluated, "This indicates that a significant portion of military cooperation plans between the two countries had already been agreed upon before Kim Jong-un's visit to Russia." He explained, "Evidence that North Korea supplied weapons to Russia began to be identified from mid-last year, and from August this year, just before Kim Jong-un's visit to Russia, there has been more active maritime weapons transactions between Russia and North Korea. The Republic of Korea and the U.S. are closely cooperating to track this intensively."

The Joint Chiefs of Staff listed what North Korea might receive from Russia in return for weapons support as ▲ satellite technology support ▲ nuclear-related technology transfer and cooperation ▲ fighter jets or related parts support ▲ air defense system support ▲ captured Western weapons and equipment. The official stated, "To ensure regime stability and survive this winter, North Korea is expected to first receive support for food and fuel, and later discuss additional military technology transfers, conventional force modernization support, and joint exercises."

He pointed out, "Such weapons transactions and military cooperation between Russia and North Korea are clear violations of United Nations Security Council resolutions and are acts that seriously threaten peace and stability in the world and on the Korean Peninsula, so they must be stopped immediately."

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