North Korea’s participation in the conflict in Ukraine has reportedly brought in up to $20 billion for its economy so far, as stated in a recent report from South Korea’s Institute for Defense Analyses.
KIDA)
.
The report underscores increasing collaboration between Pyongyang and Moscow throughout the three-year-long conflict. Russia, having anticipated an easy win against Ukraine at first, now finds itself entangled in a lengthy and expensive battle.
According to reports from last year, North Korea dispatched approximately 12,000 soldiers to assist Russian forces, notably in the Kursk area, which has seen persistent Ukrainian opposition since a significant advance occurred during the previous summer.
KIDA’
The report suggests that North Korea’s significant financial gain primarily stems from weapons sales to Russia. As a result, Pyongyang has gained considerable technical support, particularly for enhancing its military capacities.
An investigation by
Reuters
and the
Open Source Centre
discovered that around 15,800 containers loaded with ammunition were transported to Russia from North Korea between August 2023 and March 2025.
(QG – Origin: Newsweek – Image: © Unsplash)
