South Korea suspects North Korea sent missiles to Russia

Yonhap reports this.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) expressed their concerns about increased military cooperation between North Korea and Russia. 

They noted that around 2,000 containers with military equipment and ammunition were shipped from North Korea's Rajin port to Vladivostok in Russia.

North Korea might have also provided Russia with additional weapons, including ammunition for T-series tanks, anti-tank guided missiles, rocket launchers, rifles, machine guns, and possibly short-range ballistic missiles.

An official stated, "There have been indications of North Korea's supply of weapons to Russia since mid-2022, and the arms trade via maritime routes increased in August shortly before Kim Jong-un's visit to Russia." 

North Korean vessels were spotted heading to Russia once a week between August and September, and there have been sightings of three to four ships every three to four days since October, according to the JCS.

More details on cooperation between Russia and the DPRK

White House spokesman John Kirby said that talks between Russia and the DPRK on military cooperation were "actively progressing."

In July, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visited the DPRK and met with his North Korean counterpart.

In early August, the White House accused Russia of trying to buy munitions from the DPRK.

Oleksandr Musienko, head of the Center for Military Legal Studies, said that Russia has problems with the military and industrial complex, so Moscow is turning to the DPRK and Iran for help. According to him, Ukraine must be prepared for North Korea to supply weapons to Russia.

On August 31, the United States imposed sanctions on two Russian citizens over the development of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles for the DPRK.

On September 11, the North Korean leader traveled by train to Vladivostok to meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. 

Oleksandr Kraiev, an expert at the Ukrainian Prism Foreign Policy Council, believes that Russia is preparing to receive weapons and ammunition from the DPRK in exchange for food.

On September 13, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian leader Vladimir Putin had a meeting at the Vostochny Cosmodrome.

September 15, South Korea's top diplomat hinted that Seoul may impose sanctions on Russia following the recent meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and DPRK leader Kim Jong Un.

On October 7, it was reported that satellite images showed the highest traffic on the border between Russia and the DPRK in recent years. This comes a day after rumors surfaced about the start of the transfer of North Korean artillery to Russia.

On October 13, the White House reported that North Korea had supplied 1,000 containers of military equipment to Russia. The deliveries took place between September 7 and October 1.