Investigating North Korean Weapons in Ukraine
By Jane Mackenzie
Seoul correspondent
4 May 2024
The Discovery of North Korean Missiles in Ukraine
On 2 January, a young Ukrainian weapons inspector named Khrystyna Kimachuk received information about a peculiar missile that had crashed in Kharkiv. She quickly obtained the debris and meticulously documented every component, down to the smallest screws and computer chips. Despite initial doubts, she found evidence linking the missile to North Korea, marking a significant discovery in the ongoing conflict.
Amidst the wreckage, Ms Kimachuk identified Korean characters and the number 112, indicating North Korean origin. This revelation confirmed suspicions of North Korean involvement in the attacks on Ukraine, leading to further investigations.
Since then, the Ukrainian military has reported multiple missile strikes from North Korea via Russia, resulting in casualties and injuries. The situation escalated, highlighting the urgency of addressing the proliferation of illicit weapons.
The Role of Conflict Armament Research
Ms Kimachuk, affiliated with Conflict Armament Research (CAR), played a crucial role in analyzing the missile components. The examination revealed a surprising aspect – the presence of advanced foreign technology, including components from the US and Europe. This raised concerns about North Korea’s ability to acquire sophisticated weaponry despite international sanctions.
Damien Spleeters, CAR’s deputy director, emphasized the speed and efficiency with which North Korea obtained and assembled these weapons, underscoring the challenges of monitoring illicit arms trade.
International Response and Observations
Joseph Byrne, a North Korea expert at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London, expressed shock at the use of North Korean missiles in European conflicts. His team has been monitoring the transfer of weapons between North Korea and Russia, uncovering a complex network of arms trafficking.
Through satellite imagery, RUSI observed Russian cargo ships transporting containers between the two countries, shedding light on the clandestine operations fueling regional tensions.
The revelations from Ms Kimachuk’s investigation and the subsequent analyses by CAR and RUSI underscore the need for enhanced international cooperation to combat the proliferation of illicit weapons and prevent further escalation of conflicts.
In total, an estimated 7,000 containers have been dispatched, carrying over a million ammunition shells and grad rockets – the type that can be launched from trucks in large quantities. Intelligence from the US, UK, and South Korea supports these findings, despite denials from Russia and North Korea.
“These shells and rockets are currently among the most coveted items globally, enabling Russia to continue bombarding Ukrainian cities while the US and Europe struggle to decide on weapon contributions,” stated Mr. Byrne.
Procurement and Deployment
However, the introduction of ballistic missiles on the battlefield has raised significant concerns for Mr. Byrne and his team, shedding light on North Korea’s weapons program.
Historically, North Korea has exported its weapons, primarily to nations in North Africa and the Middle East, such as Libya, Syria, and Iran. These weapons have typically been outdated, Soviet-style missiles with a poor reputation. There is evidence suggesting that Hamas militants may have utilized some of Pyongyang’s antiquated rocket-propelled grenades in an attack last October.
Contrastingly, the missile launched on January 2nd, dismantled by Ms. Kimachuk, appeared to be North Korea’s most advanced short-range missile – the Hwasong 11 – capable of traveling up to 700km (435 miles). Despite Ukrainian claims regarding their accuracy, Dr. Jeffrey Lewis, an expert in North Korean armaments and non-proliferation at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, believes they are not significantly inferior to Russian missiles.
Dr. Lewis explained that the affordability of these missiles allows for increased acquisition and deployment, aiming to overwhelm air defenses, a strategy seemingly adopted by the Russians.
This development raises questions about North Korea’s production capacity. The South Korean government recently reported that North Korea shipped 6,700 containers of munitions to Russia, indicating that Pyongyang’s weapons facilities are operating at full capacity. Dr. Lewis, who has been monitoring these facilities via satellite imagery, estimates they can manufacture several hundred missiles annually.
Surprised by their findings, Mr. Spleeters and his team are investigating how North Korea manages to acquire these components, given the ban on companies selling to them.
Mr. Spleeters highlighted that many modern weapons rely on computer chips, which are also used in everyday devices like phones, washing machines, and cars. These chips are sold globally in vast quantities, with manufacturers unaware of their final destinations.
Despite this, Mr. Byrne expressed frustration upon discovering that several missile components originated from Western sources, underscoring the effectiveness of North Korea’s procurement networks.
Based on his investigations, North Korean operatives establish fictitious companies in locations like Hong Kong to purchase items using illicit funds. These products are then smuggled into North Korea, often through its border with China. If one fake company is exposed and penalized, another quickly emerges to take its place.
Sanctions have been deemed an imperfect tool against these networks, requiring regular updates and enforcement to be effective. However, both Russia and China have resisted imposing new sanctions on North Korea since 2017.
By purchasing weapons from Pyongyang, Moscow is violating sanctions it previously endorsed as a UN Security Council member. Earlier this year, Russia disbanded a UN panel overseeing sanctions breaches, likely to evade scrutiny.
“We are witnessing the erosion of UN sanctions against North Korea in real-time, granting Pyongyang significant breathing room,” remarked Mr. Byrne.
These developments have implications beyond the Ukrainian conflict.
“The primary beneficiaries are the North Koreans, who have significantly aided the Russians, gaining substantial leverage in return,” Mr. Byrne emphasized.
In March, RUSI reported substantial oil shipments from Russia to North Korea, along with railcars transporting presumed food supplies across their shared border. This lucrative deal, estimated to be worth hundreds of millions of pounds, will not only bolster Pyongyang’s economy but also its military capabilities.
Russia could potentially supply North Korea with raw materials for missile production, military equipment like fighter jets, and even technical assistance to enhance its nuclear arsenal.
Moreover, North Korea has the opportunity to test its latest weaponry
North Korea has recently tested its missiles in a real-war scenario for the first time, gathering valuable data to improve them.
Pyongyang: A major missile supplier?
One concerning aspect is that the ongoing war is showcasing North Korea’s missile capabilities to the world.
As Pyongyang ramps up its production of missiles, there is a growing concern that it will seek to sell them to other nations. Dr. Lewis noted that if Russia finds these missiles satisfactory, other countries may follow suit, especially as Russia’s actions suggest a disregard for sanctions.
Looking ahead, it is predicted that North Korea will emerge as a significant supplier of missiles to countries aligned with China, Russia, and Iran. Following Iran’s recent attack on Israel, the US expressed worries about potential collaboration between North Korea and Iran on nuclear and ballistic weapons programs.
Despite the challenges, Mr. Spleeters remains hopeful that by collaborating with manufacturers, they can disrupt North Korea’s supply chains. His team has already successfully identified and dismantled an illicit network before it could finalize a crucial sale.
However, Dr. Lewis remains skeptical about the effectiveness of these efforts. He believes that while measures can be taken to impede North Korea’s weapon production, it is unlikely to completely halt their progress. The West’s attempts to contain the rogue state have fallen short.
Dr. Lewis also highlighted that North Korea’s missiles not only enhance its prestige and political influence but also generate substantial revenue. Given these benefits, it is unlikely that Kim Jong Un would willingly relinquish these weapons.
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Anti-War Protests Spread to Europe: Demonstrations in Germany, Ireland, and Switzerland
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Sorry, please use a different browser. Anti-war protests spread to near Europe… Germany, Ireland and Switzerland also “prevent massacre”
Anti-war protests in college towns that started in the United States are spreading to Europe.
According to local German media, on the 4th local time, around 300 people and 100 people held a sit-in protest against the Gaza War on the campuses of Humboldt University in Berlin and Ludwig Maximalians University in Munich, respectively.
Students shouted slogans such as ‘Long live Palestine’ and ‘Stop the genocide,’ but the Berlin police forcefully dispersed the Humboldt University demonstration, and 38 protesters were arrested in the process.
Also, in Ireland, dozens of students at Trinity College, University of Dublin protested by setting up a tent in the central square of the campus, and at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, around 100 students are holding a sit-in on campus, demanding a boycott of Israeli researchers and an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza war.
Reporter Seongho Jeong ([email protected])
#university town #anti-war demonstration #Germany #Ireland #Switzerland
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Anti-War Protests Spread to Europe: Demonstrations in Germany, Ireland, and Switzerland
Operation Praetorian: MP requests preventive detention for Madureira and “Polaco” | public ministry
This Tuesday, the Public Ministry (MP) requested preventive detention for Fernando Madureira, leader of the Super Dragões, and Hugo “Polaco”, a member of the cheer squad, within the scope of the Operation Praetorianand house arrest with electronic surveillance for Vítor Catão.
A judicial source told the Lusa agency that, in promoting the coercive measures to be applied to the defendants by the Criminal Investigation Court (TIC) of Porto, the MP prosecutor defended that Madureira and Hugo Carneiro (“Polish”) be subject to the coercive measure most serious: preventive detention.
For Vítor Catão, who chose not to make a statement before the criminal investigation judge Pedro Miguel Vieira, the MP defended the application of house arrest, with electronic surveillance.
For the remaining nine defendants, the MP prosecutor requested a ban on contact, a ban on access to sports venues and periodic presentations to the authorities.
After the MP’s promotions, the lawyers for the 12 defendants presented their respective arguments, but the coercive measures will only be known on Wednesday afternoon, at 4 pm.
However, at the end of the afternoon, Fernando Madureira’s wife, Sandra, and five of the seven detained at the Bela Vista police station (Hugo Loureiro, Fernando Saul, Vítor ‘Aleixo’, Vítor Bruno Oliveira and José Pereira) were released.
The investigations began with a significant delay, compared to the scheduled time (10 am), with the investigating judge Pedro Miguel Vieira arriving at the TIC at 11 am.
Last Wednesday, the PSP detained 12 people – including two FC Porto employees and the leader of the Super Dragões, Fernando Madureira -, as part of the Operation Praetorianwhich investigates the incidents that occurred at the extraordinary General Assembly (GA) of FC Porto on November 13th.
According to court documents, to which the Lusa agency had access, the Public Prosecutor’s Office maintains that the Super Dragões fans intended to “create a climate of intimidation and fear” at the FC Porto AG.
The District Attorney General’s Office of Porto announced that the issues are “crimes of harm to physical integrity in the context of a sporting spectacle or event related to the sporting phenomenon, coercion and aggravated threat, public instigation of a crime, throwing of objects or liquid products and also an attack on freedom of information”.
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