(NationalUSNews.com) — South Korea’s defense minister claims that North Korea allegedly shipped more than five million shells of artillery to Russia, marking the latest show of support from North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.
According to Shin Won-sik, South Korean intelligence agencies saw more than 10,000 shipping containers filled with munitions en route to Russia. Pyongyang’s support for Russia has dwarfed the support for Ukraine from Western nations, as the United States has only sent approximately 300,000 rounds of artillery to Ukraine since the Ukraine-Russia war’s beginning.
The artillery shells aren’t the first munitions provided to Russia by North Korea, as Kim Jong Un’s regime has sent several dozen ballistic missiles to Russia in the past. Russia used ballistic missiles against Ukrainian forces on several occasions, causing some members of NATO to fear a potential escalation in the conflict. North Korea likely provided Russia with ammunition in exchange for oil and help with its technological development due to Russia’s abundant fuel resources and developed tech sector.
North Korea’s ability to manufacture artillery shells has left NATO concerned about the Russia-Ukraine war, as North Korea has outproduced Western nations on a massive scale. According to some economic experts, North Korea’s oppressive labor industry allows it to create armaments and ammunition faster than Western nations and for a fraction of the cost. Additionally, North Korea manufactures less advanced artillery shells than other countries like the United States, which results in decreased efficiency and quicker production.
While North Korea hasn’t directly expressed its desire to become involved in the Russia-Ukraine war, Kim Jong Un traveled to a summit attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin in September 2023 to reaffirm their partnership. Russia and North Korea have repeatedly denied claims of Kim Jong Un’s regime providing ammunition to Russia, but South Korean intelligence officials aren’t convinced. According to South Korean spy agencies, North Korea has sent regular shipments of armaments to Russia since last year.
Intelligence officials also believe that North Korea has increased its armament production over the past few months to help fulfill ammunition orders from Russia. North Korea has also allegedly sent weapon experts to Russia on multiple occasions who helped train Russian forces on how to use North Korean artillery properly. While the United States and other nations have openly condemned North Korea for supporting Russia, Kim Jong Un likely plans on helping Russia in the foreseeable future.
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