March 19, 2024
Analysis

A tale of rogue states: Why Myanmar has every reason to pursue North Korean arms

Two years since coup, experts says Tatmadaw regime could turn again to an old partner and take a page from its playbook

Wednesday marks two years since the Myanmar military seized power in a coup, and many in the country are still suffering and dying under the Min Aung Hlaing regime’s attempts to crack down on civilian resistance and ethnic armed organizations.

And as the military — known locally as the Tatmadaw — continues to look for arms to use against its opponents, experts say a confluence of interests and geopolitical circumstances could lead Myanmar to look once again to a fellow pariah state that helped it develop weapons in the past: North Korea.

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