South Korea suspects North Korea transferred 6,700 containers of artillery shells to Russia

(Dan Tri) – South Korea estimates that North Korea has provided Russia with about 6,700 containers of ammunition since September 2023.

North Korean artillery complexes open fire during an exercise (Photo: KCNA).

According to Yonhap news agency, South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won-sik estimates that North Korea has shipped about 6,700 containers of ammunition to Russia since the summit between the two leaders last September.

This number of containers is said to be enough to hold about 3 million 152mm artillery shells or 500,000 122mm artillery shells.

Furthermore, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) said it is looking into suspicions related to North Korea supplying weapons produced in the 1970s to Russia.

Photos released by a Ukrainian photographer last year showed Korean letters found engraved on the missile casing.

The NIS statement came in response to a recent report by a local media outlet that 122mm artillery shells produced in North Korea in the 1970s appeared to be among the weapons Russia used in the

`NIS is analyzing the relevant situation in detail and also continues to monitor overall military cooperation between North Korea and Russia,` South Korea’s intelligence agency said.

NIS also announced that it is closely monitoring the possibility of illegally transporting missile parts to North Korea in the context that Pyongyang is believed to be able to buy these parts to develop new weapons.

Russia has increased cooperation with North Korea since the conflict in Ukraine began in 2022. South Korea and some Western countries suspect Pyongyang of supplying Russia with artillery shells and ballistic missiles for use in

At the United Nations Security Council meeting on March 28, Russia vetoed a resolution to extend the mandate of the group of experts responsible for monitoring sanctions against North Korea.

The US claims that the nature of the security threat posed by North Korea could `drastically change` in the next decade as a result of its cooperation with Russia.

In early April, the Pentagon said North Korea continued to supply weapons to Russia to serve the war in Ukraine and that the partnership between the two countries was growing strongly.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry said earlier this month that accusations against Moscow and Pyongyang about military cooperation are `baseless and unfounded.`

Reuters on April 25, citing satellite images published by the British RUSI institute, said that a Russian cargo ship embargoed for allegedly transporting weapons from North Korea was discovered anchored in China.

US National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby said on May 2 that Russia transferred more than 165,000 barrels of refined oil to North Korea in March alone. According to UN sanctions, North Korea is banned from importing more than

North Korea is under United Nations sanctions, including an arms embargo, for developing nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles.