South Korea says Russia sent North Korea missiles in exchange for troops

South Korea’s nationalist information advisor says North plans to usage nan weapons to take sides its airspace complete nan capital.

Russia has provided North Korea pinch anti-air missiles and aerial defence instrumentality successful return for sending soldiers to support its warfare against Ukraine, according to a apical South Korean official.

Asked what nan North stood to summation from dispatching an estimated 10,000 troops to Russia, South Korea’s nationalist information advisor Shin Won-sik said Moscow had fixed Pyongyang economical and subject exertion support.

“It is understood that North Korea has been provided pinch related instrumentality and anti-aircraft missiles to fortify Pyongyang’s anemic aerial defence system,” Shin told South Korean broadcaster SBS successful an question and reply aired connected Friday.

At a subject accumulation successful nan capital, Pyongyang, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un connected Friday called for processing and upgrading “ultra-modern” versions of weaponry, and pledged to support advancing defence capabilities, authorities media reported.

Russia this period ratified a landmark mutual defence pact pinch North Korea arsenic Ukrainian officials reported clashes pinch Pyongyang’s soldiers connected nan beforehand lines.

The pact was signed successful Pyongyang successful June during a authorities sojourn by Russian President Vladimir Putin. It obligates some states to supply subject assistance “without delay” successful nan lawsuit of an onslaught connected nan different and to cooperate internationally to reason Western sanctions.

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service told lawmakers this week that nan troops deployed to Russia are believed to person been assigned to an airborne brigade and marine corps connected nan ground, pinch immoderate of nan soldiers having already entered combat, nan Yonhap news agency reported.

The intelligence agency besides said precocious that North Korea had sent much than 13,000 containers of artillery, missiles and different accepted arms to Russia since August 2023 to replenish its dwindling weapons stockpiles.

Experts opportunity Pyongyang could beryllium utilizing Ukraine arsenic a intends of realigning overseas policy.

By sending soldiers, North Korea is positioning itself wrong nan Russian warfare system arsenic a supplier of weapons, subject support and labour – perchance bypassing its accepted ally, neighbour and main trading partner, China, according to analysts.

Russia tin besides supply North Korea entree to its immense earthy resources, specified arsenic lipid and gas, they say.

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui precocious visited Moscow and said her state would “stand firmly by our Russian comrades until triumph day“.

North Korea said past period that immoderate unit deployment to Russia would beryllium “an enactment conforming pinch nan regulations of world law”, but stopped short of confirming that it had sent soldiers.

The deployment has led to a displacement successful reside from Seoul, which had truthful acold resisted calls to nonstop weapons to Kyiv. However, President Yoon Suk-yeol indicated South Korea might alteration its longstanding policy of not providing arms to countries successful conflict.

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Al Jazeera and news agencies