The United States alleges that North Korea is secretly supplying Russia with artillery shells to use with Ukraine in its ongoing war, countering the East Asian country’s earlier refusal to do so.
CNN, bringing up newly declassified intelligence, reported Wednesday that North Korea is looking to cover up its alleged expeditions to Russia by giving the impression that they are headed to countries in the Middle East or North Africa.
Newsweek was unable to independently verify the report and contacted the Kremlin and the Permanent Mission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to the United Nations for verification and comment.
In early September, the New York Times and other media outlets reported that Russia was buying millions of artillery shells and rockets from North Korea and would have to make more purchases in the future. Experts said at the time that the alleged purchases, if true, may simply involve a depletion of Russia’s materials in the war that began when Ukraine invaded on Feb. 24.
In a statement issued later that month, an official described as the DPRK’s “deputy director-general of the General Equipment Office of the Ministry of National Defense” (North Korea’s official title) denied the reports.
“We took this opportunity to explain one thing,” the official said. “We have never exported weapons or ammunition to Russia before and have no plans to export any. It is known where the rumor that the US is spreading comes from. its goal is to tarnish the symbol of the DPRK. “
In light of new reports that North Korea has provided artillery shells to Russia, David Welch, a professor of university studies and professor of political science at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, told Newsweek that there is “no doubt” that North Korea in Russia looks at war.
“It is one of the few countries that voted against the [UN General Assembly] solution condemning the invasion in the first place,” he said. “And it is one of the few countries that voted against condemning Russia’s annexation of Ukrainian territory. .
North Korea is “very firmly” in Russia’s camp, Welch added.
When the UN General Assembly voted in early March to approve a solution condemning the Russian invasion and calling for the prompt withdrawal of troops, only Syria, Belarus, Eritrea and Russia joined North Korea in voting against it. North Korea, Belarus, Nicaragua, Russia and Syria voted against the solution last month calling on countries not to recognize Russia’s declared annexation of 4 regions of Ukraine, a move world leaders have denounced as illegitimate and illegal.
Natalia Slavney, a research associate at the Stimson Center think tank and associate editor at 38 North, which provides studies on North Korea, told Newsweek that North Korea “has been transparent in its support for Russia 2022. “
Like Welch, Slavney noted that North Korea was one of the countries that voted against the settlement in March and pointed to promises of deeper and mutual relations between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Days after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, North Korea blamed the outbreak of the confrontation on the “hegemonic politics” and “authoritarianism” of the United States and the West, Reuters reported.
“Russia and North Korea have a long history of economic cooperation,” Slavney said.
He added that the railway industry between the two countries reportedly resumed recently, so “sending weapons and the like would make sense, given the context. “
Russian news firm Interfax reported Wednesday that the railway industry between Russia and North Korea had resumed after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19.
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