North Korea starts supplying artillery weapons to Russia

Asia-Pacific, Europe, News October 8, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

North Korea has started supplying weapons to Russia for its war against Ukraine. North Korea’s state-owned media outlet reported that Kim Jong Un pledged military assistance for Moscow in a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

North Korea’s supreme leader Kim Jong Un sent a message to Vladimir Putin on Russia’s National Day. He called for “closer strategic cooperation” with Moscow, “holding hands firmly with the Russian president, in conformity with the common desire of the peoples of the two countries to fulfill the grand goal of building a powerful country,” KCNA said in its report.

According to some reports, Pyongyang has already started supplying artillery weapons to Russia for its war in Ukraine. A media report cited an unnamed U.S. official who unveiled that the process of weapons transfer has begun.

The sources did not specify whether the transfer is part of a new, long-term supply chain or a short-term limited consignment. The report also sheds no light on what North Korea is getting in return for the weapons.

Neither Moscow nor Pyongyang has confirmed the reports of weapons transfer so far but the increased rail traffic between the two countries suggests that the weapons transfer has started. A Washington-based think tank released satellite photographs of an “unprecedented” 73 or so goods cars at Tumangang Rail Station in the North Korean border city of Rason.

North Korea self propelled artillery — ^{Self-propelled artillery roll pass during a military parade marking the 70th anniversary of North Korea’s foundation in Pyongyang, North Korea, September 9, 2018. (Image Credit: Reuters/Danish Siddiqui)}

Several experts and analysts believe that Kim would ask Putin for money and food to support North Korea’s trembling economy in exchange for his support of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as weapons and missile technology. However, there has been no confirmation from either side on the matter so far.

The United States had raised concerns as early as March 2023, that Russia was actively seeking to acquire additional weapons from North Korea in exchange for food aid. Washington imposed sanctions on a Slovakian man in March, accusing him of mediating a weapons deal between Moscow and Pyongyang.

Senior South Korean officials have also been cited in the news reports expressing their concerns regarding the increasing cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang. Seoul is concerned that Kim would acquire technology from Russia to build nuclear-powered submarines and more advanced rockets and satellites, in addition to cooperation on conventional weapons.

Kim-Putin summit

The culmination of ties between Moscow and Pyongyang found a stronger base during the rare summit between the Russian President and North Korean leader that was held in Russia last month. Kim Jong Un traveled to Russia on his bulletproof train to meet with Putin. Kim assured his “full and unconditional support” for Moscow’s fight in Ukraine.

Putin Kim Jong Un meeting — *^{Putin welcomed the North Korean leader to the Vostochny spaceport in Russia. (Image Credit: Vladimir Smirnov/Sputnik/Kremlin)}*

The meeting between the two leaders took place on September 13, at the Vostochny Cosmodrome, Russia’s central spaceport in the far-east region. The talks between the leaders of the two heavily sanctioned regimes focused on strengthening bilateral relations as Moscow and Pyongyang are continuing their standoff against Western powers.