South Korea has publicly criticized Russia for its apparent contradiction in utilizing North Korean missiles in the Ukraine conflict. This comes after revelations that Russia, a member of the United Nations Security Council, which has sanctioned North Korea, is allegedly using North Korean weapons in Ukraine.
The Contradiction in Russia's Actions
A South Korean Foreign Ministry official described Russia's actions as "self-contradictory." Being a party to the U.N. Security Council's sanctions against North Korea, Russia's receipt and usage of North Korean weapons in the war in Ukraine raise significant concerns.
Seoul has strongly urged an immediate halt to this activity.
U.S. Declassification of Intelligence
The White House, citing recently declassified intelligence, stated that Russia has employed short-range ballistic missiles provided by North Korea in its offensive against Ukraine. John Kirby, National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications, emphasized the gravity of North Korea's arms transfer to Russia as a "significant and concerning escalation."
The U.S. plans to address this issue at the United Nations Security Council and impose additional sanctions against those facilitating these arms deals.
Details of the Missile Use
Kirby revealed that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) recently supplied Russia with ballistic missile launchers and several ballistic missiles. On December 30, Russia launched at least one of these North Korean missiles into Ukraine, which landed in an open field. Subsequently, Russia used multiple North Korean missiles in a heavy air strike.
Denials and Evidence
Both Pyongyang and Moscow have denied the arms shipments, but South Korean and U.S. officials have presented satellite imagery of Rajin port in North Korea as circumstantial evidence. This imagery shows a significant number of containers being loaded onto ships bound for Russia, suggesting weapons deliveries.
U.S. Intelligence Findings
According to U.S. intelligence, North Korea has provided Russia with more than 1,000 containers of military equipment and munitions in recent weeks. The U.S. believes that North Korea is supplying arms in exchange for military technology assistance from Russia. This includes advanced technologies that could have security implications for the Korean Peninsula and the Indo-Pacific region.
