700 km: North Korea tests nuclear-capable missile as drone output scales
Moscow shares missile data with Pyongyang in a trade for labor and weapons, according to a New York Times report.
By Kevin Iyer ·
Pyongyang has begun mass-producing attack drones and upgrading its ballistic missile capabilities, a shift driven by a deepening military exchange with Moscow. The New York Times reports that North Korea is improving its arsenal in return for Russian technical data, while Russia receives soldiers, workers, and weapons from the North.
The two nations renewed their military cooperation after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Since then, North Korea has used Russian assistance to modernize its armed forces and equipment. This partnership has allowed Pyongyang to close the gap between its weapons technology and that of its neighbors.
In early October, North Korea tested a tactical ballistic missile it claims can carry a nuclear payload. South Korea and Japan estimated the missile flew approximately 700 km, whereas Pyongyang claimed a range of 1,000 km. Seoul responded by test-firing its own hypersonic ballistic missile five days later, a first for the country. President Lee Jae Myung observed the test, marking a departure from the usual brief statements Seoul issues after such provocations.
Analyst Anton Ponomarenko stated that access to Russian deployment data and feedback has improved the accuracy and maneuverability of North Korean weapons. He described the threat to South Korea as more substantial because of these gains. Russia has also assisted in building unmanned systems, allowing North Korea to produce drones in large numbers.
Pyongyang has observed how inexpensive drones can overwhelm costly air defense systems in Ukraine and the Middle East. In a military drill last month, a drone swarm attacked a target island while cruise and ballistic missiles struck from different directions simultaneously. The New York Times argued that these tactics will force South Korea and its allies to redesign their air defenses at high cost.
Bloomberg reported in September that up to 25,000 North Koreans are working at Russian military plants, notably in Alabuga, Tatarstan, to produce military drones. A North Korean missile forces unit, potentially equipped with 120 ballistic missiles and six launchers, has begun deploying in western Russia. Russia asked North Korea in August to provide KN-30 ballistic missiles, following North Korean tests of a modernized 240mm rocket system and a 155mm artillery shell in June.
The New York Times noted that Seoul is increasingly uneasy about the rapid progress of North Korea's missile technology. The exchange of data for labor continues to shape the military balance in the region. North Korea's drone production line is now operational, and its missile accuracy has improved through Russian feedback.
