South Korea confirms North Korea's additional exports of howitzers, rocket launchers to Russia

On November 20, South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) confirmed that North Korea has continued to supply Russia with self-propelled howitzers and multiple rocket launchers.

The NIS also announced that North Korean troops, deployed to Russia to assist in the Ukrainian war, have partially participated in combat operations alongside Russian forces, including the Russian Airborne Brigade and Marines, Caliber.Az reports via Korean media.

In recent weeks, the NIS revealed that approximately 10,900 North Korean soldiers have been deployed to Russia's Kursk region as part of Russian airborne and marine units. These troops have already been involved in combat, as reported by South Korean lawmaker Park Sung-won, who cited NIS intelligence. However, the exact number of casualties among North Korean troops is still under investigation, as contradictory information continues to emerge.

In a related development, the NIS revealed that North Korea’s Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui visited Russia earlier this month. During her visit, she held discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, deepening the diplomatic ties between the two countries. This visit came at a time of heightened tensions due to the increasing deployment of North Korean forces to support Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine. There are also indications that North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, could make an official visit to Russia in the near future.

On November 16, the Financial Times reported that North Korea had delivered nearly 50 M-1978 "Koksan" self-propelled howitzers and 20 upgraded 240mm multiple rocket launchers based on the Soviet BM-27 "Uragan" MLRS system. These weapons have already arrived in the Kursk region and are part of Russia’s ongoing military campaign in the area, which includes the participation of North Korean soldiers. The aim of the Russian offensive is to push Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) units out of the region, with North Korean troops assisting in this operation.

Photographs that surfaced in mid-November showed camouflage-covered "Koksan" howitzers being transported by rail in Russia's Krasnoyarsk region. However, the exact date of the photos remains unclear. Ukrainian and Western military experts have indicated that Russia has amassed about 50,000 soldiers for a counter-offensive near Kursk, with over 10,000 North Korean fighters involved. These troops, dressed in Russian uniforms, have been trained in artillery firing, infantry tactics, and trench clearing on Russian soil, according to The New York Times.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on November 7 that some of the North Korean troops stationed in the Kursk region had already engaged in combat with Ukrainian forces and suffered casualties. The presence of North Korean troops in Russia has been a contentious issue, with earlier reports from the Pentagon and the US State Department indicating that North Korean soldiers have been involved in military operations alongside Russian forces. However, both the North Korean government and Russia initially denied these reports, with Russian officials dismissing them as “fibs and hype.”

While Russian President Vladimir Putin has not outright denied the presence of North Korean troops, he acknowledged in late October that satellite images showing their presence could indeed be accurate. The growing cooperation between North Korea and Russia has raised concerns about further escalation in the war in Ukraine, as well as the increasing integration of North Korean forces into the conflict.

By Tamilla Hasanova