N. Korean delegation to attend defense expo in Russia

The North Korean delegation will attend the International Military-Technical Forum, which will be held in mid-August in Russia. During the forum, the military officials of North Korea and Russia might discuss military cooperation, such as Russia’s provision of advanced weapons to the North, following a new agreement signed between the two countries in June, which is comparable to a military alliance. The South Korean intelligence authorities reportedly believe that military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, including technology transfer from Russia, is underway.

Quoting Russia’s state media, Sputnik, Radio Free Asia reported on Friday that military officials of North Korea will attend Russia’s International Military-Technical Forum, “ARMY 2024,” to be held in mid-August in Moscow, Russia. The forum, which will be held from August 15 through August 21, is a defense exhibition to showcase Russia’s weapons to delegations of countries around the world. North Korea attended the forum in 2016 and 2017 at the invitation of the Ministry of Defence of Russia. It will revisit the forum for the first time since the summit meetings between the two countries in September 2023 and June 2024. This year's forum will reveal over 300 pieces of advanced military equipment.

While the head of the North Korean delegation hasn’t been announced, senior officials of the North and Russia might discuss Russia’s provision of advanced weapons and related technology support to North Korea, including aircraft, armored cars, intercontinental ballistic missiles, and hypersonic missiles. “There is a chance that senior officials of North Korea and Russia might discuss weapon transactions,” David Maxwell, the Vice President of the Center for Asia Pacific Strategy, said to Radio Free Asia. “The North is highly interested in the transfer of cutting-edge technologies from Russia.”


Kyu-Jin Shin newjin@donga.com