North Korea (DPRK) has reportedly sent around 200 long-range artillery units and masses of ammunition to the Russian army, and according to Yonhap News citing South Korea’s Ministry of Defense saying more troops, weapons, and ammo are on the way.
The assessment came after South Korea’s spy agency had earlier estimated the DPRK had already sent about 11,000 troops to support Russia’s war effort. Out of those, reports claim 300 have been killed and around 2,700 were wounded.
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The ministry said that in 2025, North Korea is expected to double down on weapons development, wrapping up a five-year plan to modernize its arsenal – this will include nuclear submarines, spy satellites, and advanced ballistic missiles.
In exchange for its support, North Korea is likely receiving high-tech assistance from Russia - in areas such as nuclear submarine technology and missile re-entry systems.
In respect of North Korea’s relationship with the US, South Korea said DPRK still wants to keep the door open for talks with Washington, while at the same time, Pyongyang continues to test missiles and ramp up its aggressive rhetoric.
Seoul’s Defense Ministry pointed out that North Korea hasn’t responded to Donald Trump’s recent statement about wanting to reconnect with Kim Jong Un. Instead, Kim has been busy inspecting nuclear material production -- a clear sign that Pyongyang is sticking to its military-first approach.
Diplomatic Churn and Whirl, TV Production, Kursk and Bombardment Revisited
At the end of January, Ukrainian intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said that North Korea plans to deliver at least 150 KN-23 short-range ballistic missiles, as well as artillery shells and systems to Moscow in 2025.
He said that up to the start of 2025, Pyongyang had already supplied Moscow with up to 120 M-1989 “Koksan” self-propelled artillery units and M-1991 multiple rocket launchers.
He also pointed out that recent media reports of the almost total withdrawal of North Korean troops from the front line were simply wrong.
He said that there are still as many as 8,000 fighting on the front line in Kursk, despite the heavy casualties they have experienced since being deployed to the Russian region that have impacted on their operations and led to redeployment from some parts of the combat zone.
Budanov’s comments have contradicted widespread international and Ukrainian media reports, including those of The New York Times, CNN, The Times and Kyiv Post, on the almost total withdrawal of North Korean troops from the combat zone in Russia’s Kursk region.
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