Government Warns Russia "Will Not Tolerate Missile Technology Transfer to North Korea"

Minister Park Jin Requests Additional Verification from Russia in Comprehensive Audit

The government is reported to have conveyed to Russia that it will not stand idly by if Russia transfers missile technology to North Korea.

On the 27th, during a comprehensive audit by the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, Foreign Minister Park Jin responded "Yes" when People Power Party lawmaker Ha Tae-kyung asked, "Have you informed Russia that if they transfer missile or weapons technology to North Korea, we will not stand idly by and will retaliate?" Minister Park added, "We have conveyed such a message (to the Russian side)." His remarks came during a Q&A session with lawmaker Ha regarding communications between the Russian Foreign Ministry and the South Korean Embassy in Russia following the recent North Korea-Russia summit last month.

When lawmaker Ha asked about the briefing Russia gave to South Korea after the North Korea-Russia summit, Minister Park said, "There were various dialogues aimed at fostering friendship and improving relations between the two countries (North Korea and Russia)," adding, "There were no specific details regarding military cooperation." When Ha repeatedly asked if they inquired whether Russia agreed to provide missile technology or weapons requested by North Korea, Minister Park stated, "We also requested confirmation from Russia on such matters."

Regarding evidence of North Korea supplying weapons to Russia, Minister Park refrained from specific comments, citing it as "intelligence matters," but said, "We are closely monitoring through various information sources and are trying to understand the current situation as best as we can."

Recently, South Korean and U.S. authorities have made public concrete circumstances such as maritime container transport between North Korea and Russia, establishing as a fait accompli that North Korea has provided weapons to Russia for use on the Ukrainian battlefield. Consequently, concerns are rising about the possibility that Russia might support North Korea's nuclear and missile advancement in return.

John Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the White House National Security Council, stated at a briefing on the 13th (local time), "We have information that North Korea has provided weapons to Russia for use in Ukraine," adding, "This information shows that North Korea recently supplied over 1,000 containers of military equipment and ammunition."

The White House released three satellite images as evidence for this information. According to the White House, one of the images shows about 300 maritime shipping containers stacked at Najin Port in North Korea, near Russia, on the 7th and 8th of last month. The second image, taken on the 12th of last month at the Russian eastern port of Dunay, shows one ship carrying containers from North Korea and another ship carrying containers destined for North Korea, according to the White House. The third image depicts containers unloaded at Tikhoretsk, near the Russia-Ukraine border. The containers carrying weapons supplied by North Korea arrived at the Russian eastern port by ship and were then transported by train to the border area with Ukraine.