North Korea Could Send Guided Ballistic Missiles to Russia: South Korea

Defense News :- Russia & N.Korea :- South Korea's Defense Minister, Shin Won-Sik, has raised concerns about North Korea potentially giving tactical guided ballistic missiles to Russia. This comes after North Korea revealed a new truck-mounted missile system resembling the KN-24 close-range ballistic missile.

According to Minister Shin, this missile system has an estimated range of 100 to 180 kilometers and could even carry a tactical nuclear warhead. North Korea has stated its intention to deploy these missiles with its front-line troops.

Minister Shin suggests that, considering recent arms trade activities, North Korea might sell these ballistic missiles to Russia. He points to past instances of North Korean missile sales to Russia as evidence.

The KN-24 short-range missile, similar to the MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System, was first tested in 2019. It has a unitary warhead weighing between 400 to 500 kilograms and follows a quasi-ballistic trajectory.

Earlier this month, the White House reported Russia's deployment of North Korean ballistic missiles in Ukraine, indicating a range of 900 kilometers. These missiles resemble the KN-23 and KN-25 short-range ballistic missiles based on their graphic and range.

Minister Shin raises the possibility that Russia may have provided technological assistance to North Korea in exchange for arms and ammunition. He mentions that North Korea's spy satellite, launched in November, is considered rudimentary, but with continued technological support from Russia, its capabilities could improve.

It is noted that North Korea has already shipped an estimated 5,000 containers of weapons to Russia. This quantity is sufficient to transport around 2.3 million rounds of 152-millimeter shells or approximately 400,000 rounds of 122-millimeter artillery shells, according to Yonhap News Agency's report on the defense minister's statements.