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South Korea says North Korea has sent 6,700 containers containing more than 3 million artillery shells to Russia since September.
According to officials, North Korea has sent about 6,700 containers containing millions of munitions to Russia since September in exchange for food as well as parts and raw materials for weapons manufacturing.
South Korean Defense Minister Shin Wonsik told reporters on Tuesday that the containers could hold more than three million 152 mm artillery shells or 500,000 122 mm rounds.
“It could possibly be a mixture of both, and you can say at least several million shells have been sent,” Shin said, according to Yonhap news agency.
The minister did not elaborate on the source of the information.
He said hundreds of North Korean munitions factories are running at about 30 percent of their capacity due to shortages of raw materials and electricity, but factories making artillery shells for Russia are operating “in full swing.”
In exchange for war material, he said, Russia provided North Korea with food, raw materials and parts used in weapons manufacturing.
“Food appears to account for the largest share (of shipments from Russia), which is believed to have stabilized the prices of foods in North Korea, including other necessities,” Shin said.
He said the volume of containers sent from Russia to North Korea appears to be about 30 percent higher than those sent from Pyongyang to Moscow over the same period.
In recent times, relations between Russia and North Korea have grow to be even nearer.
In September, North Korean chief Kim Jong Un traveled to Russia for a summit with President Vladimir Putin and talked about navy cooperation and attainable Russian assist for Pyongyang's satellite tv for pc program.
South Korea and the US have since accused North Korea and Russia of conducting arms commerce in violation of UN sanctions, and condemned Pyongyang for supplying weapons to Moscow to be used in opposition to Ukraine. .
Nevertheless, each international locations have denied the allegations.
Shin informed reporters on Tuesday that Russia probably supplied satellite-related know-how to North Korea after the nation put its first spy-satellite into orbit in November.
The minister mentioned North Korea may launch one other satellite tv for pc as early as subsequent month and Pyongyang has additionally requested for help in plane and floor mobility tools know-how.
In response to Yonhap, he mentioned, “It’s not clear how a lot Russia will give, however the extra Russia relies on North Korean artillery shells, the better the diploma of Russian know-how switch.”