April 23, 2024
News

North Korea repaints Air Koryo cargo planes for military show

Planes were "likely repainted" for Victory Day celebrations and borrowed from Air Koryo

LONDON – New camouflage variants of North Korea's three Ilyushin-76 (IL-76) air lifter planes were spotted for the first time in June, but a photo obtained this week by NK News suggests they were nothing more than temporary repaints of existing Air Koryo cargo aircraft.

The camouflage enabled the planes to take part in North Korea's high profile "Victory Day" parade as previously unseen military assets, but the number and model of the Soviet-era aircraft has led some observers to question whether the planes were in fact new acquisitions.

Become a member for less than $4 per week.

  • Unlimited access to all of NK News: reporting, investigations, analysis
  • The NK News Daily Update, an email newsletter to keep you in the loop
  • Searchable archive of all content, photo galleries, special columns
  • Contact NK News reporters with tips or requests for reporting
Get unlimited access to all NK News content, including original reporting, investigations, and analyses by our team of DPRK experts.
Subscribe now

All major cards accepted. No commitments – you can cancel any time.