Making full use of its close strategic ties with Russia, North Korea appears ready to begin producing new drones with Russian assistance, aiming to upgrade the combat capabilities of its Armed Forces. This news was reported by Japan’s public broadcaster NHK, citing anonymous sources familiar with relations between the two countries, who claim that an agreement has already been reached to mass-produce these systems on North Korean soil.
If this agreement is indeed finalized, it could be seen as one of the ways Russia is repaying North Korea for its support in the war in Ukraine. This includes the deployment of an estimated 11,000 North Korean troops to reinforce Russian ground forces last year, with 3,000 of them reported killed or wounded. In addition to troop deployments, North Korea has also supplied artillery, ammunition, and other military supplies to aid Moscow’s war effort.
These developments have been further cemented by the formal military cooperation agreement signed in December, in which both Russia and North Korea committed to assisting each other in the event of an attack, as well as exploring ways to resist Western sanctions. This agreement is highly significant, as “for all intents and purposes, it is a military alliance (…) the first defense alliance Moscow has established outside the post-Soviet space,” stated Artyom Lukin of Russia’s Far Eastern Federal University.
Along similar lines, remarks made last December by Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM), suggested that this repayment could take the form of fighter jet donations to North Korea’s outdated Air Force. Currently operating Soviet-era models such as the MiG-17, MiG-19, and MiG-21, North Korea’s Air Force is in desperate need of modernization to keep pace with regional rivals. While not a complete solution, Russia is reportedly preparing to transfer MiG-29 and Su-27 aircraft as an initial step.
It should be noted, however, that Pyongyang is also reportedly seeking Russian assistance in developing its nuclear arsenal, though Moscow has so far refused to comply. According to analysts cited by the Japanese news outlet, Russia’s reluctance stems from the understandable concern over escalating tensions between North Korea and the U.S., along with its regional allies—including China, which is also opposed to such assistance.
Images used for illustrative purposes.
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