North Korea is set to begin drone production this year with technical support from Russia, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported on Feb. 8, citing undisclosed sources.
The agreement will enable North Korea to develop and mass-produce several types of drones in collaboration with Moscow, marking a significant escalation in military cooperation between the two nations.
According to sources, this move is likely a reciprocated gesture for North Korea's reported deployment of soldiers to support Russia's full-scale war in Ukraine. The collaboration follows a strategic partnership treaty signed last year, further strengthening diplomatic and military ties.
Artyom Lukin, a professor at Russia's Far Eastern Federal University, previously described the agreement to Reuters as "for all intents and purposes... a pact of military alliance," adding that it represents Moscow's "first defense alliance outside the post-Soviet space." The treaty encompasses not only military cooperation but also trade, investment, and political collaboration between the two nations.
The military alliance appears to be active on the ground. As of early February, approximately 8,000 North Korean soldiers were reportedly fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine's Kursk Oblast, according to Ukrainian intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov.
Last fall, up to 12,000 North Korean troops were deployed in the region to reinforce Russian forces against Ukrainian counteroffensives that began on Aug. 6, 2024.
This growing military partnership has raised concerns, with North Korea emerging as a key military ally of Russia amid its prolonged war in Ukraine. Western officials have repeatedly voiced concerns over Pyongyang supplying arms and personnel to Moscow.
However, HNGN cannot independently verify the claims of North Korea's drone production plans.
