By: Mitchell Chedwick
Despite growing military ties, the likelihood of Russia sharing its cutting-edge military technology with North Korea remains “very low,” according to Seoul’s defense minister. Moscow is expected to reserve such technology as a “last resort.”
In an interview with Bloomberg, Defense Minister Shin Won-sik explained, “If Russia were to transfer its advanced technology, it would mean losing all leverage over North Korea. They are likely to keep it as a last resort, especially since North Korea doesn’t offer much in return.”
Shin’s comments come amid speculation that Pyongyang and Moscow aim to strengthen their military relationship beyond simple arms deals, especially with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s upcoming visit to North Korea. During this visit, Putin is expected to request additional munitions and ballistic missiles from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Seoul has reported observing at least 10,000 shipping containers sent from North Korea to Russia.
Regarding suspicions that Russia assisted North Korea with military spy satellite technology, Shin noted that Moscow likely provided engine technologies for North Korea’s failed satellite launch last month. The attempted launch on May 27 ended in failure when the rocket exploded shortly after liftoff, with North Korean state media attributing the mishap to issues with a new “liquid oxygen plus petroleum” engine.
Amid increasing military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow, Shin plans to meet with his U.S. and Japanese counterparts to enhance their collective response to North Korean threats. During a recent meeting in Singapore at the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference, the defense chiefs agreed to develop a framework for security cooperation and initiate a trilateral multidomain exercise this summer.
“The priority is to establish a system for South Korea, the U.S., and Japan to respond more effectively and cohesively to North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats, making this cooperation irreversible,” Shin emphasized in the interview.