Weapons for food and technology: This is what a deal between North Korea and Russia could look like. Apparently the transfer is already underway.
At least Kim Jong-un was able to take home a Russian-made weapon after his meeting with Vladimir Putin in mid-September: Russia’s president presented North Korea’s dictator with “a rifle made by us and of the highest quality,” explained Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov , after the two rulers met at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia’s Far East. In return, Putin has a gun out North Korea Peskov continued.
However, experts and Western secret services are certain that it is unlikely that there will be just one rifle for Kim – despite assurances from the Kremlin that Kim and Putin have not signed any corresponding agreements. Because Russia needs weapons for its war against Ukraine and the poor but highly armed Kim regime, Russian technology as well as food and energy supplies. A deal perfect for both sides.
A new Analysis of Beyond Parallel, the Korea project of the US think tank CSIS, now suggests that this deal, which officially does not exist, is already in full swing. The analysts evaluated satellite images taken on October 5th of a railway site in Tumangang, a North Korean city near the border with Russia. At least 73 wagons can be seen in the pictures – in the past five years, however, no more than 20 wagons have ever been observed there.
North Korea and Russia: weapons for food?
“Considering that Kim and Putin discussed some military exchanges and cooperation at their recent summit, the dramatic increase in rail traffic is likely an indication of North Korea supplying arms and ammunition to Russia,” the analysts said. However, since the railway carriages are covered, it is not possible to see what is inside.
However, the observations were consistent with recent statements by a US government official who confirmed to CBS television on Thursday that North Korea had begun supplying artillery weapons to Russia. These are probably for Russian troops Ukraine war planned, according to the Beyond Parallel analysts. In Russia had Kim Jong Un not only visited a spaceport, but also a production facility for fighter jets, and were shown Moscow’s latest hypersonic missile systems.
According to experts, has Wladimir Putin particularly interested in North Korean short-range missiles as well as Soviet-made artillery and tank shells. North Korea is said to possess large quantities of the latter. The regime in Pyongyang, in turn, could benefit from Russian satellite technology. North Korea’s attempts to launch its own spy satellite into space have recently failed twice. The Korea Institute for National Unification, a Seoul-based think tank, expects a third satellite launch in the next two weeks. Kim may also have requested food deliveries from Russia. North Korea has suffered from a chronic food shortage for yearswhich has reportedly worsened again this year.
North Korea is apparently continuing to arm itself with nuclear weapons
It is unclear to what extent China, the neighbor of Russia and North Korea and a close ally, is privy to the plans. During Kim’s several-day visit to Russia, Beijing said it was a matter that only concerned the two countries. However, arms deliveries to North Korea would be a violation of sanctions that the UN Security Council had imposed in recent years with Chinese (and also Russian) support.
Meanwhile, there are increasing indications that North Korea could carry out a nuclear test for the first time since 2017. Intelligence from South Korea and the United States indicates that North Korea recently briefly shut down the Yongbyon nuclear reactor. This could mean that spent fuel rods were removed to extract weapons-grade plutonium, the South Korean newspaper reported last week Dong-a Ilbo citing informed circles.
Just a few days ago, Kim Jong-un had his country’s nuclear armament included in the constitution. North Korea must “rapidly develop high-level nuclear weapons” to “ensure the country’s right to exist and develop, deter war and maintain regional and global peace,” Kim said in late September, according to state news agency KCNA. Kim blames the USA and South Korea for the tensions on the Korean peninsula. Both countries had recently become even closer together under conservative President Yoon Suk-yeol; Among other things, the USA sent a nuclear submarine to South Korea for the first time in decades and carried out a major military exercise with Seoul in August.
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