The U.S. Ministry of Defense’s Intelligence Service reported that Russia has used North Korean ballistic missiles to strike Ukraine.
This conclusion was drawn after comparing missile debris found in Kharkiv on January 2 with images from North Korean state media, noting similarities in specific missile components.
U.N. experts confirmed that the debris originated from a North Korean Hwasong-11 missile, indicating Russia’s violation of the ongoing arms embargo.
I mean, I get that legitimacy matters and that Russia is on the UNSC and all, but every time I read about this, it feels kind of surreal. Like a lawyer triumphantly arguing that the person who is currently is burglarizing someone’s house is parked illegally outside of it.
It also means NK can probably be sanctioned more, because they are the supplier and their economy isn’t doing so well as is
It’s not North Korea’s behavior that’s being highlighted, but Russia’s. Russia had agreed to sanctions on North Korea at the UNSC and is breaking those sanctions. It’s not a good look to be on the UNSC and impose sanctions and then break them yourself.
North Korea can do whatever. They aren’t obliged to sanction themselves.
My point is just that, in relative terms, “I’m gonna annex my neighbor, time for glorious Russian Empire 2.0” versus “I’m gonna trade for weapons from some sanctioned country to help me do so” seem almost ludicrously out of proportion. I know that there’s political sense to bringing it up and all, but…
I’m not sure there is any more the hermit kingdom can be sanctioned, other than getting Russia and China to actually honor the existing sanctions. (Ha!)
Did people think they were supplying missiles to Russia with a moratorium on them being used in Ukraine?
It matters on a geopolitical scale when it comes to logistics and weapons procurement. South Korea has an enormous production capability when it comes to military industries. They currently have the largest output capacity for tanks, and we’re talking about modern technologically advanced tanks, not cold war era relics.
They’ve also been ramping up their supply chains to focus on things like artillery shell production and naval vessel production. However, they currently have a law that prevents them from supplying weapons to nations actively engaged in a war. But, that law has a clause that allows them to ignore the mandate if North Korea is involved in the conflict.
Legally roping North Korea into the conflict could solve a lot of supply problems for the west. If that doesn’t work, the next option would be to sway public opinion enough in South Korea that they change the prior legislation.