North Korea Sends 6,700 Containers to Russia, Analysis Reveals

The military authorities have analyzed that North Korea has supplied Russia with 6,700 containers of artillery and other items over the past six months. The artillery factory that North Korea provides to Russia is evaluated to be in full operation. It was revealed that North Korea imports food and necessities for technology transfer. Defense Minister Shin Won Sik said at a press conference held at the Ministry of National Defense building in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on the 26th, “Since last August, about 6,700 containers have gone to Russia.” Minister Shin explained, “If it’s a 152mm shell, it’s more than 3 million rounds, and if it’s a 122mm howitzer shell, it’s more than 500,000 rounds,” adding, “There is a possibility that the two shells were mixed, and at least several million rounds can be seen to have gone.” In particular, Minister Shin said, “Considering the shortage of raw materials and electricity, the operation rate of hundreds of North Korean military factories is low at about 30%,” but “the factories that produce shells provided to Russia are in full operation.”

Minister Shin said, “From July to August last year, the number of containers transferred from North Korea to Russia is more than 30% greater than that from Russia to North Korea.” He evaluated, “We cannot know exactly what is in the containers, but food takes up the largest proportion,” and “It seems that there are also necessities other than food, and some materials and parts seem to be coming in (to North Korea).” He added, “Some materials and parts are being manufactured into finished products and seem to be going back to Russia,” and “(Due to Russia’s support for North Korea) it seems that food prices within North Korea are maintaining a stable trend.”

Regarding the military technology that Russia provides to North Korea, Minister Shin said, “The satellite-related technology that Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly promised to give will continue to go (to North Korea),” and “North Korea is asking Russia for aircraft-related technology and ground mobility equipment technology that it needs.”

Minister Shin concluded that the military reconnaissance satellite Manrikyung-1 launched by North Korea last November is not functioning properly. He said, “The signal that Manrikyung-1 is orbiting is being received normally,” but “There is no sign of it working. It’s just orbiting without doing anything.” This is an evaluation that North Korea’s military reconnaissance is malfunctioning.

On the other hand, our military’s second military reconnaissance satellite, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), is scheduled to be launched at a US Air Force base in Florida in early April. Minister Shin introduced, “We decided to launch it in the first week of April,” and “Unlike the first satellite, which is an optical/infrared (EO/IR) satellite, the second one is a SAR satellite using radar waves so that it can secure ultra-high resolution images of the target under any weather conditions, day or night.”

There was also mention of doubling the number of South Korea-US joint exercises in the first half of this year compared to last year. Minister Shin said, “We conducted about 20 South Korea-US joint exercises last year, but this year the number of exercises has increased to nearly 50 in the first half.” He emphasized, “The more we strengthen the South Korea-US joint exercises, the greater the loss that North Korea can incur from starting a war than the gain.”

When Minister Shin mentioned, “North Korea’s full-scale provocation is limited in its ability at this point,” also addressed, “However, North Korea can proceed with local provocation at any time.”