NIS "Tracking North Korea's Weapon Supply and Parts Procurement Routes"
North Korea is supplying outdated stockpile weapons such as multiple launch rocket systems produced in the 1970s to Russia, while illegally procuring foreign-made components to utilize in the production of new weapons, according to South Korean intelligence authorities tracking the situation.
On the 12th, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) revealed that there are indications that Russia used 122mm multiple launch rocket systems of North Korean origin from the 1970s in its attacks on Ukraine, and the weapons are being analyzed in detail.
Previously, photos of shells taken on the battlefield by a Ukrainian photographer last year revealed Korean characters such as 'Bang-122' and 'Paji.' Experts analyzed these shells as rocket projectiles for North Korea's 122mm Bangsapo (the North Korean term for multiple launch rockets). It was also reported that the 122mm Bangsapo shells found in Ukraine bore numbers suggesting they were produced in the 1970s. Last year, South Korean military authorities estimated that North Korea had supplied Russia with large quantities of 122mm and 152mm shells.
North Korea appears to be accelerating mass production while handing over outdated stockpile shells to Russia and speeding up the development of improved versions. In August last year, Kim Jong-un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, inspected a Bangsapo factory and encouraged increased production capacity by stating, "Now is the time to mobilize all efforts for shell production to raise the combat capability of our artillery forces by one step." On the 11th, he observed a test firing of a new 240mm Bangsapo equipped with guidance capabilities.
Intelligence authorities believe North Korea is procuring components such as semiconductors from foreign companies for weapon upgrades and development, and are closely monitoring these trends. Recently, the Conflict Armament Research (CAR), a UK-based weapons monitoring organization, reported that hundreds of American and European components were found in the debris of North Korean ballistic missiles used by Russian forces in Ukraine. CAR analyzed that North Korea is receiving weapon components by evading sanctions monitoring through intermediaries located in China and other regions.
The NIS also explained, "We are closely tracking the smuggling of missile components into North Korea." North Korea is taking advantage of the prolonged Ukraine war to deplete old weapons while encouraging production to secure stockpiles and accelerating upgrades and development by circumventing sanctions. Intelligence authorities are on high alert for the possibility that North Korea’s weapon supply to Russia could lead to Russia providing advanced military technology support to North Korea. The NIS stated, "We are continuously tracking all aspects of military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, including North Korea’s missile exports to Russia."
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