Politics and shortages undercut Russian threat to arm North Korea: Analysis

Analysis

Politics and shortages undercut Russian threat to arm North Korea: Analysis

Experts says Moscow can’t currently afford to retaliate against greater ROK role in Ukraine by providing newest weapons

Arius Derr | Ifang Bremer April 21, 2023

Politics and shortages undercut Russian threat to arm North Korea: Analysis

A Russian Smerch multiple rocket launcher (MRL) | Image: Russian defense ministry

Political considerations and material shortages are likely to stop Russia from providing arms to North Korea, experts told NK News this week, despite Moscow’s threat to send its “newest weapons” to the DPRK if South Korea directly arms Ukraine.

On Wednesday, deputy chair of the Russian Security Council and former president Dimitry Medvedev threatened “quid pro quo” after South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said Seoul could provide lethal aid to Ukraine if Russia carries out “large-scale” civilian attacks.

About the Authors

Arius Derr

Arius Derr is Editor at NK News and NK Pro, based in Canberra. He was also Managing Editor from 2021 to 2022 and Deputy Managing Editor from 2022 to 2023. Prior to that he was an editor at East Asia Forum and KBS, South Korea’s public broadcaster. His graduate research focuses on U.S. nuclear policy and U.S.-DPRK relations. Follow him on Twitter @AriusDerr.

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Ifang Bremer

Ifang Bremer is a Seoul Correspondent at NK News. He has worked on investigations for The Guardian and The Observer and previously wrote features on Korea for Dutch newspaper NRC.

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