An increase in North Korean artillery is observed at the front – Budanov

An increase in North Korean artillery is observed at the front. The participation of the North Korean army in the war against Ukraine will have long-term consequences for the security system in the Asia-Pacific region.

This was stated by Chief of the Defence Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, in an exclusive interview with the South Korean publication The Chosun.

The Defence Intelligence chief emphasizes that the military cooperation between North Korea and Russia poses a serious threat to the international community.

According to Budanov, North Korean forces have lost about 4,000 soldiers killed and seriously wounded in the war against Ukraine. But despite significant losses, North Korean forces continue to actively participate in joint operations with Russian troops. Also, an increase in North Korean artillery is observed at the front.

"This war has mobilized all military capabilities of the involved countries. Only three states - Ukraine, Russia, and North Korea - are gaining direct experience in conducting a full-scale war of the 21st century. The future North Korean army will be fundamentally different from the past," Kyrylo Budanov underscored.

The Chief of the Defence Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine emphasizes that the aggressor state, Russia, and North Korea are deepening military cooperation in technology, science, and industry.

"This cooperation reaches the highest level and poses a serious threat to the international community. North Korea uses this war to gain combat experience and modernize its military technologies. This will have long-term consequences for the security system in the Asia-Pacific region," he noted.

As an example, Budanov described the changes that the North Korean KN-23 missile has undergone.

"Initially, its accuracy was very low, with a deviation of 500 to 1,500 meters, but Russian specialists made technical modifications. Now the missile has become much more accurate and poses a significantly more serious threat," remarked the Ukrainian intelligence service chief, adding that this missile weapon threatens the security of South Korea and Japan.

Budanov expressed hope that cooperation between Kyiv and Seoul would deepen.

"Both Ukraine and South Korea face the same enemy - North Korea. South Korea has decades of intelligence on North Korea, and this information would be extremely valuable to us. Ukraine is currently gaining combat experience on its own battlefield. Exchanging this experience and intelligence would be mutually beneficial," the Chief of the Defence Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine stressed.

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