One of South Korea's senior officials claims that North Korean ruler Kim Jong Un has given "at least several million shells" to Russia in return for food supplies.
"At least several million shells have been sent," South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik informed reporters based in South Korea, as per Washington Examiner.
North Korea Sends 6,700 Container of Artillery Shells to Russia
In a press briefing on Monday, South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik disclosed information regarding the potential shipment of more than 3 million 152 mm artillery shells or 500,000 122 mm rounds from North Korea to Russia. Minister Shin stated that the total number of shells sent could be several million, raising concerns about the scale of military aid exchanged between the two nations.
Minister Shin addressed the media, highlighting that North Korean munitions factories dedicated to producing artillery shells for Russia are reportedly operating at full capacity, while many other factories in the country are functioning at only around 30% due to resource and energy shortages.
Accusations from Seoul and Washington claim that North Korea is supplying arms to Russia for use against Ukraine. The US State Department, in a recent fact sheet, stated that North Korea has delivered over 10,000 containers of munitions to Russia since September. In return, North Korea reportedly received around 9,000 containers, primarily containing food supplies, which have contributed to stabilizing prices in the country.
While the South Korean Defense Ministry could not independently confirm these figures, Minister Shin mentioned that Russia has sent nearly 30% more containers to North Korea than North Korea has shipped to Russia since July.
Minister Shin suggested that North Korea may conduct another satellite launch with technical assistance from Moscow, and Pyongyang has sought assistance from Russia in aircraft and ground mobility equipment technology. The extent of Russian technology transfers is expected to increase with growing dependency on North Korean artillery shells, according to Reuters.
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Russia Aids North Korea Amid Regional Concerns
Russia is supplying North Korea with food, raw materials, and components for weapons production. This aid has contributed to preserving prices for essential goods for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. If arms transfers increase, there is an expectation that Russia will boost military technology assistance to North Korea, potentially heightening Pyongyang's regional threat.
As North Korea-Russia trade expands amidst the prolonged conflict, concerns are rising about the flow of US military aid to Ukraine. Additionally, the European Union has delivered only about 30% of the 1 million artillery shells it pledged to Kyiv by March.
Despite both North Korea and Russia denying arms transfers, commercial satellite imagery reveals the movement of cargo vessels between North Korea's Najin port and the Russian port of Dunay, raising suspicions of potential arms trade.
The growing alliance between Russia and North Korea, strengthened by military cooperation, poses a challenge to global attempts to isolate Pyongyang. Kim Jong Un's decision to provide military equipment to aid Russia's invasion of Ukraine could have economic consequences, possibly allowing North Korea to maintain its distance from the US while strengthening its military strength.
During recent events, Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated his respect by presenting Kim Jong Un with a new Russian-made car, illustrating the growing military partnership between the two countries. The economic gains and strategic benefits for Kim underscore the intricate dynamics in this changing geopolitical environment, The Time reported.
