Russia Supplies Air Defense to North Korea as Kim Jong Un Threatens Nuclear War

Latest Developments

• Russia Bolstering North Korea’s Outdated Air Defenses: Russia provided air defense missiles and related equipment to North Korea, South Korean National Security Advisor Shin Won-shik revealed during a television interview on November 22. The move is intended to bolster Pyongyang’s outdated air defenses, as its regional rivals South Korea and Japan both operate advanced F-35 stealth fighters and other advanced military equipment.

• North Korea Aiding Russia’s Ukraine War: Russia, having been placed under sanctions by the West since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, has worked to build relations with similarly isolated states, including Iran and North Korea, both of which are aiding Russia’s military efforts. The Pentagon revealed on November 18 that approximately 11,000 North Korean troops are now deployed against Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region, where a high-ranking North Korean general was reportedly wounded in a Ukrainian strike.  

• Kim Jong Un Accuses United States of Stoking Nuclear Conflict: Speaking at a military exhibition in Pyongyang, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un accused the United States of stoking nuclear war, saying “Never before have the warring parties on the Korean peninsula faced such a dangerous and acute confrontation that it could escalate into the most destructive thermonuclear war.” International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi said on November 20 that photos of a uranium enrichment facility released by North Korea’s government-run media in September showed an extension inside the undeclared Kangson nuclear complex near Pyongyang and were consistent with Kim’s directive to expand North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.

FDD Expert Response

“Like his fellow tyrants in Moscow, Beijing, and Tehran, Kim Jong-un has extraterritorial ambitions. He sees Vladimir Putin threatening nuclear escalation if the United States persists in providing Ukrainians with the means they need to defend their country, their homes, and their families from Russian invaders. He hears many Americans urging the incoming Trump administration to back off and back down. He figures he can follow Putin’s lead — threaten nuclear escalation if the United States continues to defend South Korea. He may not be making a bad bet. Retreat can be habit-forming.” — Clifford D. May, Founder and President

“We should not be surprised that Russia is sharing increasingly advanced weapons technology with North Korea that can be used to threaten South Korea, Japan, and the United States. It’s not just Israel, Ukraine, South Korea, and Taiwan that are under threat from these four authoritarian states — Iran, China, North Korea, and Russia — but the whole values-based system of democracy, transparency, and the rule of law.” — RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, Senior Fellow and Senior Director of FDD’s Center on Cyber and Technology

“The results of the Biden administration’s failure to penalize and deter North Korean malign activity are on full display. The remaining lame-duck period risks our adversaries shooting their best shots and taking full advantage of perceived American weakness.” — Andrea Stricker, Nonproliferation and Biodefense Program Deputy Director and Research Fellow

FDD Background and Analysis

“The Sting Doctrine,” by Clifford D. May

“Bolster U.S. Military,” by RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery

“In Escalation of Russian Invasion, North Korean and Ukrainian Troops Clash for First Time,” FDD Flash Brief

“North Korean Troops in Ukraine: Are We on the Path to World War III?” by Boaz Golany and Jacob Nagel