Despite 20 years of harsh sanctions… “U.S. parts found in North Korean missiles that hit Ukraine”

2024-05-05 12:31:15

On January 11th of this year, missile debris discovered in Ukraine had the Korean character ‘ㅈ’ written on it. It is considered evidence that weapons supplied by North Korea to Russia were used in the war in Ukraine. Photo courtesy of the British Institute for Conflict Weapons Research.

“Despite being under harsh sanctions for nearly 20 years, North Korea is still rapidly acquiring everything it needs to make weapons.”

On the 5th, the British arms watchdog ‘Conflict Arms Research Institute (CAR)’, which announced the results of its analysis that the Russian missile that struck Ukraine’s second largest city, Kharkiv on January 2 this year, was the ‘Hwasong-11’ manufactured in North Korea, local time) expressed concern to the BBC that North Korea’s rapid weapons manufacturing ability could increase the damage of war around the world.

At the time, analysis of missile debris revealed an American semiconductor chip made in March 2023. Accordingly, the BBC diagnosed, “This means that it only took a few months for North Korea to illegally import important weapon parts into the country, assemble the missile, and then secretly transport it to Russia and launch it.”
“Chips essential to modern weapons are being sold in huge numbers all over the world,” said Damien Splitters, deputy director of CAR. “We have no idea where these products are going.”

Parts procurement from North Korea is also being carried out systematically. Another British think tank, the Royal Joint Military Institute (RUSI), said, “North Korea sets up fake companies in Hong Kong or Central Asian countries and then sends products to North Korea through the Chinese border. North Korea’s procurement network is stronger than expected.” “And it’s effective,” he said.

According to RUSI, a total of 7,000 containers have been sent from North Korea to Russia since September last year. It is estimated that at least 1 million North Korean-made ammunition and rocket launchers are in Russia. The BBC expressed concern that “the immediate threat from North Korea is its weapons manufacturing capabilities, which are now fueling existing wars and global instability.” According to the Ukrainian military, the number of North Korean missiles launched by Russia amounts to dozens. As a result, at least 24 people died and more than 70 were injured.

Reporter Lee Ki-wook [e-mail]

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2024-05-05 12:31:15