USA worried
North Korea wants to produce more rocket launchers
January 5, 2024, 5:01 a.m
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In the latest massive attacks on Ukraine, Russia apparently also used missiles and rocket launchers supplied by North Korea. Apparently it won’t stay that way. Pyongyang wants to expand the production of military equipment.
According to state media, North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un has called for an expansion of the production of rocket launchers – in preparation for a “military showdown” with South Korea and the USA. Kim’s call came during a factory visit, as the North Korean news agency KCNA reported. Shortly before, the US government announced that North Korea had recently delivered ballistic missiles and rocket launchers to Russia, some of which were used in the recent attacks on Ukraine.
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said some of the rockets and rocket launchers were used in attacks on December 30 and January 2. Kirby spoke of a “significant and worrying escalation” in the Ukraine conflict. The US and its allies would now bring the matter to the table in the UN Security Council, Kirby announced. North Korea’s arms sales to Russia constituted a violation of UN sanctions imposed on the East Asian country, he stressed.
According to Kirby, one of the North Korean missiles was fired at southern Ukraine on December 30. The bullet landed in an open field in the Zaporizhia region. On January 2nd, the Russian armed forces used “several” North Korean missiles in massive air strikes. Kirby did not say specifically which missiles were involved. They would have a range of around 900 kilometers.
Russia and North Korea deny arms deals
The USA had already reported North Korean arms deliveries to Russia in recent months. In October, Kirby said North Korea had delivered “more than 1,000 containers” of military equipment and ammunition for the war against Ukraine. In return, internationally isolated North Korea expects arms and technology supplies from Russia, Kirby said at the time.
North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un met Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin in the Russian Far East in September. Russia is using huge amounts of weapons and ammunition in its war of aggression against Ukraine and, according to experts, cannot keep up with their production at home. Moscow and Pyongyang deny any arms deals.