Russia and North Korea have a lopsided deal, with Moscow reaping far greater support for its war in Ukraine than the benefits received by Pyongyang, according to a study.
Published by German think tank Friedrich Naumann Foundation on Thursday, Unequal Partnership reports that North Korea has delivered up to $9.8bn worth of weapons, as well as fighters, to Russia since 2023. Pyongyang’s gains may amount to as little as an estimated $457m to $1.19bn.
The study examines the intensifying military cooperation between Russia and North Korea. The pair signed a landmark mutual defence pact last year, increasing concern in the West.
However, although the report notes the “remarkable momentum” of relations, it also says they have “taken on a distinctly asymmetric character”.
North Korea has shipped millions of artillery shells, rockets, and mortar rounds, and hundreds of artillery systems and launchers. The report also estimates that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has supplied about 15,000 soldiers to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Moscow has provided only limited aid, consisting mainly of food, fuel, air defence systems, and possibly some fighter aircraft.
“No substantial inflows of hard currency into North Korea can be observed; financial transactions appear largely locked within the Russian banking system,” the report says.
While Pyongyang has gained little in immediate economic terms, the foundation said its strategic returns lie in battlefield testing of its weapons, access to potential technological know-how, and a degree of political recognition from closer alignment with a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.
The study warns that the partnership poses a growing threat to Europe’s security. It calls on the European Union to respond with stricter controls on dual-use technology, closer intelligence cooperation with South Korea and Japan, closing energy loopholes, and building a stronger diplomatic presence in Pyongyang.
The number of North Korean troops killed amid Russia’s war on Ukraine is unclear, but according to Seoul-based outlet NK News, South Korea’s NIS intelligence service estimates that about 2,000 North Korean soldiers have died to date.
Last month, the North Korean leader met the families of dead soldiers, offering condolences for their “unbearable pain” and promising the bereaved “a beautiful life”, state media reported.
Relations between Kim and Russian President Vladimir Putin have surged significantly since they signed the military alliance in 2024.
The treaty obliges the pair to provide immediate military assistance using “all means” necessary if either faces “aggression”.
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