North Korea’s Nuclear Gamble: Trading Deadly Tech for Cash and Concessions

◀ Anchor ▶

The security chiefs of South Korea, the United States, and Japan met urgently in Washington to discuss sending North Korean troops to Russia.

Although North Korea also effectively acknowledges the use of troops using inferior law, there were predictions that North Korea would accept the transfer of nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) technology in exchange for the use of troops.

This is reporter Wang Jong-myeong in Washington.

◀ Report ▶

The security chiefs of Korea, the United States, and Japan, who met privately, defined that the sending of North Korean troops was in violation of the United Nations Security Council resolution that completely prohibited import and export in the military field.

[존 커비/백악관 국가안보 소통보좌관]

“These are worrying signs of deepening military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, including arms trade and ballistic missiles in direct violation of UN Security Council resolutions.”

Currently, only the information that the North Korean military is undergoing adaptation training in eastern Russia has been confirmed, and no additional trends have been revealed.

Instead, it was said that the scale of deployment could exceed the 3,000 troops originally mentioned.

[존 커비/백악관 국가안보 소통보좌관]

“Those numbers may change and we are carefully examining reports of where they will go and what they will be used for.”

In a situation where North Korea has also effectively acknowledged using the subordinate phrase “if such a thing happens,” attention is focused on whether the North Korean military will actually engage in combat and what the they will receive it in exchange for sending troops.

All three countries expected that North Korean troops could move into the western Russian combat zone.

However, it is envisaged that although they may be directly involved in combat, they may also be responsible for non-combat missions such as guarding bases or transporting military supplies in the rear.

Also, regarding the compensation that Russia will provide, a senior official in the Office of the President said that technologies related to satellites, nuclear weapons, or intercontinental ballistic missiles and ICBMs are possible.

Korea, the United States, and Japan also discussed step-by-step response plans to see how far North Korea-Russia cooperation will continue.

[신원식/대통령실 국가안보실장]

“There was only a detailed discussion, including possible scenarios and response plans, depending on the progress of Russian-North Korean military cooperation following the deployment of troops…”

The President’s Office has repeatedly stated that it is keeping all possibilities open, including providing weapons to Ukraine.

This is Wang Jong-myeong from MBC News in Washington.

Video coverage: Taehyo Kim (Washington) / Video editing: Cheongyu Park

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