North Korea is likely receiving “valuable technical and military insights” on the performance of its weapons in Ukraine, according to a South Korean official. Pyongyang is reportedly using Kyiv as a “test site” for its missiles, rockets, and artillery by allowing Russia to use them in its “special military operation.” Among the North Korean weapons believed to be operational in Ukraine is the KN-23 solid-fueled tactical ballistic missile, which can reportedly carry nuclear warheads. South Korean ambassador to the UN, Hwang Joon-Kook, stated that the use of North Korean weapons in Ukraine amounts to a simulated attack from the Republic of Korea standpoint.
South Korea’s defense ministry reported that Moscow has received around 7,000 containers of weapons from North Korea to support its invasion of Ukraine. These containers reportedly contain over three million 152-millimeter artillery shells, 500,000 122-millimeter self-propelled rockets, and an undisclosed number of banned ballistic missiles. US State Department Deputy Assistant Secretary Jung H. Pak criticized the use of such weapons in Ukraine, stating that Moscow is “blatantly disregarding non-proliferation norms.” He also noted that North Korea must be gaining something from sending weapons to Russia because it “certainly is not doing this for free.” Pyongyang had previously denied providing weapons to the invading forces in Ukraine.
