▲ North Korean leader Kim Jong-un (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) (Source: KCNA)

"That's why we came here. The leader of the DPRK shows great interest in rocket engineering; they are also trying to develop space technologies." In September 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin made this remark during a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the Vostochny Cosmodrome Spaceport in response to a question about the possibility of Russia supporting North Korea's space technology. This statement hinted at the strengthening military and space technology cooperation between the two countries. Following this summit, Kim Jong-un visited Komsomolsk-on-Amur, home of Russia's Sukhoi fighter jet factory, where he closely examined aviation technology and was even seated in the cockpit of a fighter jet.

In June of this year, President Putin made a surprise visit to North Korea, where the two countries signed a "Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” aimed at strengthening military cooperation. The treaty was signed with the intention of, "desire to defend international justice against hegemonic aspirations and attempts to impose a unipolar world order," citing their opposition to current world politics and their desire to exert global control. Article 4 of the treaty states that, "in case any one of the two sides is put in a state of war by an armed invasion, the other side shall provide military and other assistance with all means in its possession without delay," raising concerns about automatic involvement. These concerns materialized in October when it was confirmed that North Korean troops were deployed to the Kursk front in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

North Korea has historically focused on strengthening its asymmetric capabilities to compensate for its weaknesses in conventional forces. In particular, it has concentrated on developing nuclear weapons and launch vehicles. Space launch vehicles are a crucial means for deploying not only military missiles but also various satellites. In January 2024, shortly after Kim Jong-un's visit to Russia, North Korea launched a "hypersonic medium-range ballistic missile." This solid-propellant missile is capable of surprise attacks as it does not require pre-launching fueling and can strike targets within a range of 3,000 to 5,500 kilometers, including US military bases in Okinawa and Guam. Hypersonic missiles are defined as those that travel at speeds greater than Mach 5, five times the speed of sound. Given that the speed of the PAC-3 MSE (Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement) interceptor missiles, a highly advanced air-defense system designed to intercept incoming ballistic missiles, is around Mach 4 to 5, this poses a significant challenge to missile defense systems.

North Korea also made progress in military satellite technology by successfully placing its military reconnaissance satellite, Malligyong-1, into orbit, following two failed attempts due to technical issues. If Russia and North Korea continue to strengthen their cooperation in the space sector, this could pose a significant security risk for South Korea. Currently, the payload capacity of Malligyong-1 is relatively modest at 300 kg. However, Russia has the capability to launch payloads of up to 24.5 tons into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and possesses the second-largest collection of satellite data globally. If North Korea acquires such technology from Russia, rapid advancements in military satellite and space launch capabilities are expected.

North Korea's efforts to modernize its air force could present a substantial military pressure on South Korea. In June, President Putin indicated that he did not rule out the possibility of supplying North Korea with high precision weapons. North Korea currently suffers from a significant disadvantage in air force capabilities due to its outdated fighter jets. If North Korea could acquire Russia's 4.5-generation multirole fighter jet, the Su-35, this could severely impact South Korea's air superiority. In the past, Iran was granted the right to license-produce the Su-35 as a reciprocal deal for supplying Russia with suicide drones.

Amid increasing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, South Korea has been strengthening its ties with the international community. Following the U.S.-ROK Joint Foreign and Defense Ministerial Meeting on the 7th of last month, a joint statement was issued by 10 countries, including South Korea and the United States on the 5th of November. According to the U.S Department of State, the statement warned that, "DPRK soldiers receiving or providing any training or other assistance related to the use of ballistic missiles or arms is a direct violation of UN Security Council resolutions 1718, 1874 and 2270." With growing international concern, the South Korean government is now at a crucial juncture, seeking quick and effective responses to various threats.

By Kim Min-seong, reporter  20221240@gs.cwnu.ac.kr

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