North Korea getting a raw deal on support for Russia’s war: Report

In an uneven friendship, Moscow has gained up to $9.8bn worthy of arms, positive troops connected the battlefield, says German study. North Korea whitethorn person received little than $1bn.

Russia and North Korea person a lopsided deal, with Moscow reaping acold greater enactment for its warfare successful Ukraine than the benefits received by Pyongyang, according to a study.

Published by German deliberation vessel Friedrich Naumann Foundation connected Thursday, Unequal Partnership reports that North Korea has delivered up to $9.8bn worthy of weapons, arsenic good arsenic fighters, to Russia since 2023. Pyongyang’s gains whitethorn magnitude to arsenic small arsenic an estimated $457m to $1.19bn.

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The survey examines the intensifying subject practice betwixt Russia and North Korea. The brace signed a landmark communal defence pact past year, expanding interest successful the West.

However, though the study notes the “remarkable momentum” of relations, it besides says they person “taken connected a distinctly asymmetric character”.

North Korea has shipped millions of artillery shells, rockets, and mortar rounds, and hundreds of artillery systems and launchers. The study besides estimates that North Korean person Kim Jong Un has supplied astir 15,000 soldiers to the Russian penetration of Ukraine.

Moscow has provided lone constricted aid, consisting chiefly of food, fuel, aerial defence systems, and perchance immoderate combatant aircraft.

“No important inflows of hard currency into North Korea tin beryllium observed; fiscal transactions look mostly locked wrong the Russian banking system,” the study says.

While Pyongyang has gained small successful contiguous economical terms, the instauration said its strategical returns prevarication successful battlefield investigating of its weapons, entree to imaginable technological know-how, and a grade of governmental designation from person alignment with a imperishable subordinate of the United Nations Security Council.

The survey warns that the concern poses a increasing menace to Europe’s security. It calls connected the European Union to respond with stricter controls connected dual-use technology, person quality practice with South Korea and Japan, closing vigor loopholes, and gathering a stronger diplomatic beingness successful Pyongyang.

The fig of North Korean troops killed amid Russia’s warfare connected Ukraine is unclear, but according to Seoul-based outlet NK News, South Korea’s NIS quality work estimates that astir 2,000 North Korean soldiers person died to date.

Last month, the North Korean leader met the families of dormant soldiers, offering condolences for their “unbearable pain” and promising the bereaved “a beauteous life”, authorities media reported.

Relations betwixt Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin person surged importantly since they signed the military confederation successful 2024.

The pact obliges the brace to supply contiguous subject assistance utilizing “all means” indispensable if either faces “aggression”.