North Korea bolsters Russia with troops and artillery aid
The South Korean Ministry of Defence has reported that North Korea has already sent over 200 pieces of long-range artillery and approximately 11,000 troops to Russia as support. Seoul warns that, in the coming months, Putin's army may receive further reinforcements from its ally in the fight against Ukraine.
According to the Yonhap news agency, citing the South Korean Ministry of Defence, support from Pyongyang for Moscow to date has included "some 11,000 troops, missiles, 200 long-range artillery pieces and a significant amount of ammunition." A report that recently reached the South Korean defence department warned that "there is the possibility of (the North) additionally supplying troops, weapons and ammunition going forward."
This is how North Korea supports Russia
Support provided to Russia by North Korea began in the early months of the war in Ukraine. At that time, it mainly included artillery ammunition in the form of 122mm and 152mm calibre shells. This is significant aid for the Russians, as such shells are used in their most popular artillery systems, such as the 2S3 Akatsiya, 2S5 Giatsint, and 2S19 Msta.
In terms of long-range artillery, the focus should primarily be on the M1989 "Koksan," which have been systematically observed being transported in Russia. These use a 170mm calibre gun. According to official information, this weapon can hit targets at distances of up to approximately 50-60 kilometres, although, according to some experts, its effectiveness should be questioned.
North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region
North Korean soldiers have been deployed to fight in the Kursk region in western Russia. Although they have often surprised with equipment superior to that of the Russian soldiers, they were not successful in clashes with Ukrainians and suffered heavy losses. The Ukrainian side and the National Intelligence Service in Seoul confirmed that North Korean soldiers did not participate in combat after mid-January, but around the beginning of February, they were expected to return.
Reports from Ukraine suggest that aid from North Korea for Russia also included rocket launchers disguised as civilian trucks and KN-23 ballistic missiles, whose effectiveness has noticeably increased in recent weeks. According to Reuters, this is a result of treating Ukraine as a military proving ground and improving weapons based on combat experience.
Seoul closely monitors the situation
Seoul also notes that, according to Japanese sources, North Korea plans to start mass production of drones later this year, which will be developed in cooperation with Russia. At the same time, they continuously monitor whether Moscow, in exchange for the support received, will "transfer advanced military technologies to North Korea."
