North Korea increases its military assistance to Russia. It moves thousands of troops and a massive array of equipment to support Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine. North Korea is aggressively modernizing and professionalizing its armed forces, while expanding the geographic reach and destructive capabilities of its weapons program. This includes manufacturing of the submunitions recently used in drone strikes against Ukrainian civilian cities.
According to U.N. reports, North Korea began sending thousands of additional troops to Russia as early as last year. Her first wave, 12,000 soldiers strong, came in the autumn of 2024. Our use of the deployment has led to the deaths or injuries of about 4,000 North Korean troops in the war. North Korea is deepening its military ties with Russia. Promoting and developing Russia’s offensive capabilities, including in drone warfare, particularly against Ukraine, are among this effort’s priorities.
“North Korea’s actions establish yet another direct material link between the North Korean defence industry and the war in Ukraine,” stated Conflict Armament Research (CAR). The implications of this burgeoning partnership go well beyond sending troops to Ukraine. North Korea is making rapid advances in its military technology. North Korea’s recent series of intercontinental ballistic missile tests and its flourishing development of hypersonic and other advanced weapons exemplify these progresses.
In addition to troop support, North Korea has produced submunitions that played a crucial role in drone attacks targeting Ukrainian infrastructure. The inspectors found a submunition inscribed with Korean script. These markings indicated that it had been produced in Juche 89, or 2000 in the Gregorian calendar. This conclusion underlines the role of North Korean military capabilities as a direct participant in the war still occurring today.
The ideological underpinning for North Korea’s military development reaches back to its founding leader, Kim Il Sung. The regime’s historical context and ideological framework are exemplified in this unique use of the Juche calendar, which counts years from Kim Il Sung’s birth. The continued leadership of his lineage, Kim Jong Un, has placed military modernization at the top of his to-do list. Consequently, the production of weapons has more than doubled in recent years.
When North Korea resumes its assistance to Russia, the international community will be paying attention. The implications of the partnership extend beyond Ukraine, fueling fears that hostilities could worsen in Ukraine and security for the world at large could be threatened. North Korea’s involvement not only aids Russia but sends a signal regarding the regime’s ambitions and willingness to engage militarily on a larger scale.
