Russia has provided economic support and anti-aircraft missiles to North Korea in exchange for troops to support Moscow's war against Ukraine, Seoul's top security adviser said Friday.
In an interview with the South Korean television channel SBS broadcast this Friday, November 22, Shin Won-sikSouth Korea's national security adviser, said Russia had provided North Korea anti-aircraft missiles and air defense equipment in exchange for sending troops to support the Kremlin.
This announcement comes as Pyongyang and Moscow draw closer on the ground of the war in Ukraine.
The Moscow-Pyongyang axis: a message to the West?
The United States and South Korea have accused the nuclear-armed North of sending more than 10,000 soldiers in order to help Russia to cfight Ukraine. Some experts said Kim Jong Un in return sought to gain advanced technology and combat experience for his troops.
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War in Ukraine: the challenges of sending North Korean troops to Russia
“It has been established that anti-aircraft equipment and missiles intended to strengthen Pyonyang's vulnerable air defense system were delivered to North Korea,” South Korean national security director Shin Won-sik said. in an interview with local channel SBS.
Mr. Shin was responding to a question about what Seoul believed Pyongyang received in return for deploying its troops.
In the past, experts have said that in return for sending troops, North Korea is certainly looking to acquire military technology, ranging from satellite surveillance to submarines and security guarantees. from Moscow.
The two allies are united by a mutual defense treaty, signed in June and recently ratified.
This treaty obliges both states to provide military assistance “without delay” in the event of an attack against the other and to cooperate internationally to oppose Western sanctions.
Pyongyang could use Ukraine as a means to reorient its foreign policy, experts say.
By sending troops, North Korea positions itself within the Russian war economy as a supplier of weapons, military support and manpower, potentially bypassing its traditional ally and main trading partner, the China, say these same sources.
Russia can also give North Korea access to its natural resources such as oil and gas, experts say.
During a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, the head of North Korean diplomacy Choe Son Hui declared that North Korea will stand by Russia until its “victory” in Ukraine.
UN sanctions
North Korea and Russia are both subject to UN sanctions – Kim Jong Un for the development of his nuclear arsenal, Vladimir Putin for the war in Ukraine.
Asked publicly about the deployment of North Korean troops last month, Mr. Putin did not deny it, preferring to divert the question to criticize the West's support for Ukraine.
North Korea said last month that any deployment of troops to Russia would be “an act consistent with the rules of international law” but did not confirm sending troops.
