South Korea’s military has backed reports made by secret agents that indicate the arms trade between Pyongyang and Moscow is active with spies claiming more than a million artillery shells have been given to Russia since August.
The South Korean national intelligence service accused North Korea of the weapons trade, with South Korean military officials now adding they share the same belief.
South Korea’s military added it believes North Korea has sent an unspecified number of short-range ballistic missiles, anti-tank missiles, portable anti-air missiles, rifles, rocket launchers, mortars, shells, and more to Russia to fuel Russian President Vladimir Putin’s conflict in Ukraine.
North Korea and Russia boosted the visibility of their partnership with an official visit from Kim Jong Un to Russia to meet with the Kremlin leader.
Both Russia and North Korea dismissed the weapons shipment accusations as baseless.
According to politician Yoo Sang-bum, the shells already sent to Russia would roughly amount to two months’ supplies for Kremlin-backed soldiers, Mr Yoo said.
The agency believes North Korea has been operating its munitions factories at full capacity to meet Russian munition demands and has also been mobilising residents to increase production, Mr Yoo said.
There are also signs that North Korea dispatched weapons experts to Russia in October to counsel Russian officials on how to use the exported North Korean weapons.
The NIS said North Korea is likely receiving Russian technology in return to assist the rogue nation with its plan to launch its first military spy satellite into orbit.
South Korea’s military said North Korea also seeks to receive nuclear-related technologies, fighter jets or related aircraft equipment and assistance on the establishment of anti-air defence networks from Russia.
