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North Korea Has Reaped $13Bln From Military Aid to Russia, South Korean Intelligence Says

South Korean researchers say the shipments included artillery shells, rockets and ballistic missiles, while Pyongyang also received cash, energy supplies and military technology.

  • North Korea earned up to $13.8 billion through 2025 by supplying weapons to Russia, according to a May 11 report from Nikkei Asia citing South Korean intelligence.
  • The military cooperation expanded significantly after the two nations signed a mutual defense treaty in 2024, with Pyongyang providing 10,000 special forces, 10,000 engineers, and "hundreds" of drone operators.
  • During an April visit, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov inaugurated a museum in Pyongyang honoring approximately 6,000 North Korean soldiers killed or wounded as of February.
  • In exchange for manpower and weaponry, Pyongyang receives hard currency and critical military technologies, helping the regime bypass international sanctions.
  • Intelligence reports indicate plans to send an additional 30,000 North Korean soldiers to the front lines, aiming to bolster Russian operations in Ukraine.
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17 Articles

Lean Right

North Korea has earned over 13 billion dollars from the support it provides to Russia. This is evident from South Korean intelligence reported by Nikkei Asia. The billions thus represent an enormous amount for the communist country's economy.

Center

Military cooperation between North Korea and Russia is on an unprecedented scale. Pyongyang would have already received $14 billion for its arms deliveries and the dispatch of 10,000 soldiers to the region of...

Lean Left

South Korean intelligence estimates that the Phenian has won $13 billion over the past three years in providing military assistance to Russia in the war in Ukraine, reported Monday Nikkei Asia, quoted by The Moscow Times. If confirmed, the amount represents a major financial gain for North Korea, which does not ...

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Korrespondent.net broke the news in Kyiv, Ukraine on Monday, May 11, 2026.
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