US experts “North Korea is committing ‘war crimes’ by supplying Russian shells … You need to block money.”

US experts say that North Korea’s secret supply of shells to Russia, which invaded Ukraine, has been reconfirmed as a “bully country” that will do anything for money. As it is difficult for the UN to hold North Korea accountable, it has also been proposed to establish a strategy aimed at the North Korean money chain. Reporter Jo Eun-jung reports.

Former US ambassador to South Korea Alexander Vershbow told VOA on the 2nd that North Korea’s secret supply of artillery shells to Russia, which is at war with Ukraine, is an “unpleasant situation.”

[버시바우 전 대사] “It is a disturbing development that North Korea is covertly supplying Russia with artillery shells for its war against Ukraine. By directly supporting Russian aggression against a sovereign state and a founding member of the United Nations, far from the borders of the DPRK itself, Pyongyang confirms its status as an international pariah and reaffirms that it is a growing threat to the stability of the international system. By aiding and abetting Russia’s killing of Ukrainian civilians, North Korea joins that other pariah state, Iran, which has provided Russia with armed drones, in flouting international law and fueling regional and international tensions. “

Former Ambassador Vershbow, who served as the US ambassador to South Korea and Russia, said, “North Korea is a sovereign state far from its own country and directly supports Russian aggression against founding members of the United Nations, thus reinforcing its status as an international ‘bully’ country while strengthening the international system. It reaffirmed that it is a growing threat to stability.”

“North Korea is violating international law and exacerbating regional and international tensions, along with Iran, which provided armed drones to Russia by aiding and abetting Russia in killing Ukrainian civilians,” he said.

Mark Fitzpatrick, former deputy assistant secretary of state for non-proliferation, has criticized North Korea for being directly involved in Russian war crimes.

[녹취: 피츠패트릭 전 부차관보] “This is North Korea becoming a direct part of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, violating human rights with its shelling of civilian facilities and I expect that these North Korean artillery shells will be used against civilians as North Korea becomes associated with war crimes.”

In a phone call with VOA on the 2nd, former Deputy Assistant Secretary Fitzpatrick said, “This is North Korea’s direct intervention in Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine. North Korea will be involved in war crimes,” he said.

Former Deputy Assistant Secretary Fitzpatrick said the partnership is not surprising given that North Korea has supplied missiles to several countries in the past, has diplomatic relations with Russia, and that Russia relies on its allies, such as Iran.

John Kirby, Strategic Communications Coordinator for the White House National Security Council (NSC), said on the 2nd, “US intelligence suggests that North Korea is supplying a significant amount of shells to Russia’s war in Ukraine. “They hiding the real destination from the shells by pretending to be a blast.”

The situation has progressed even further after the US government announced in September that Russia had tried to buy rockets and shells from North Korea.

The countries of the Middle East and North Africa were pointed out as a diversion in the supply of shells this time, and Bruce Bechtol, a professor at Angelo State University, formerly of the US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), explained to VOA that the areas these “traditional routes for proliferation of weapons that North Korea has been using for years. ”

[녹취: 벡톨 교수] “Probably the most likely countries in the Middle East would be Iran and Syria. Because these are North Korea’s key proliferation partners and have been for many years. So they already have the resources and the infrastructure to use it as a staging area for munitions or other things flowing from North Korea into the Russian military system.”

Professor Bechtol said Iran and Syria would be the countries most likely to be used as stops for North Korea’s illegal weapons.

“They have been North Korea’s main proliferation partners for a long time, and they have the resources and infrastructure to serve as an entry point for ammunition and other things from North Korea to the Russian military,” Professor Bechtol explained. .

He said Sudan and Mozambique were the most likely in North Africa, but more likely through the closer Middle East.

Bruce Klingner, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, said North Korea could provide 122mm or 152mm shells and multiple rocket launchers specifically to Russia.

[녹취: 클링너 연구원] “What North Korea would most likely send would be 122 millimeter and 152 millimeter artillery shells and multiple rocket launcher rounds. And those would be compatible with Russian artillery and MRL systems because North Korea is phasing out some of those older weapons.”

It is explained that these shells and multiple rocket launchers are compatible with Russian weapons, and North Korea is already developing and deploying a new weapons system, while the old one is being phased out.

However, Klingner pointed out that the quality of North Korean shells is questionable, and North Korea fired shells at Yeonpyeong Island in 2010, but only a few were hit and exploded.

Experts pointed out that the interests of North Korea and Russia were aligned in this arms deal, and in particular, it was revealed that North Korea would do anything to make money.

[녹취: 맥스웰 연구원] “This is certainly a money maker for Kim Jong Un’s mafia-like crime family cult. They have an illegal global network where they proliferate weapons and ammunition all over the world. Putin Russia needs ammunition, needs weapons. I’m sure Kim Jong Un is demanding a high price and in hard cash so it’s a win for both of them.”

David Maxwell, a senior researcher at the Institute for Defense of Democracies, said, “It’s a profitable transaction for the Kim Jong-un regime, as a criminal organization.

“Kim Jong-un would have asked Putin for expensive hard currency in Russia, which needs ammunition and weapons,” he said.

Researcher Maxwell, who was the former chief of staff of the ROK-US Joint Forces Command, said that given the scale of the battle taking place in Ukraine, Russia appears to be running out of high-tech precision weapons as well as artillery shells and artillery. .

Bruce Bennett, a researcher at the Rand Institute, also assessed that Russia had launched a number of artillery rockets from Ukraine, disabling power plants and drainage facilities.

He also said that North Korea would like to get a lot from Russia by providing shells.

[녹취:베넷 연구원] “There are many things that North Korea would love to get from Russia, especially advanced warhead designs, missile designs. North Korea, given their rogue status has difficulty getting those things. So if they have something to trade that Russia wants, it’s a great opportunity for Kim.”

Researcher Bennett said North Korea “would like to get a nuclear warhead and missile plans from Russia.” “If there is something that can be exchanged with Russia in a position that cannot be obtained because of its ‘rogue state’ position, it is a very good position. good opportunity for Kim Jong-un.”

Meanwhile, experts suggested that it would be difficult for the United Nations to respond to North Korea for illegal arms trade while Russia is a permanent member of the Security Council, and cut off North Korea’s money supply.

[녹취:벡톨 교수] “Go after the money, digital currency that North Korea is now using to launder its money. Go after the banks he goes to in places like Iran, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, Russia, China, go after those third-party banks that enable North Korea to get money.”

Professor Bechtol suggested an alternative, saying, “We should target the virtual currency that North Korea uses for money laundering, and sanction banks in countries that do business with North Korea, such as Iran, Syria, the Emirates United Arab, Russia, and China.”

Researcher Klingner also said, “The United States is still not punishing Chinese banks and companies that play a role in the development of North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs.”

Meanwhile, former ambassador Vershbau said the arms deal between Russia and North Korea shows that Russia is in a dire situation.

[버시바우 전 대사] “Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine has been a military disaster for President Putin and the Russian military, resulting in massive losses in personnel and equipment that Moscow is struggling to replace. Turning to North Korea to replenish Russia’s depleted stocks of munitions is a sign of desperation on Putin’s part. “

“Russia’s illegal war on Ukraine has resulted in a major military failure for President Putin and the Russian military, which has resulted in a massive loss of manpower and equipment that the Russian government is struggling to replace,” Vershbau said.

“It is a sign that Putin is desperate to turn to North Korea to replenish Russia’s depleted stockpile of munitions,” he said.

This is Jo Eun-jung from VOA News.