Russia to transfer satellite and space technologies to the DPRK
Russia may transfer advanced satellite and space technologies to North Korea, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said after meeting with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul in Seoul.
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The DPRK is already receiving Russian military equipment and training. Now we have reason to believe that Moscow intends to share advanced space and satellite technologies with Pyongyang," Blinken said.
He also stressed that Russia's cooperation with North Korea could include support for the DPRK's nuclear programme, which would be a significant deviation from international efforts to curb the regime's nuclear weapons development.
"This is a concern that is on the minds of not only the United States, but also Korea and Japan," he added.
While Blinken was visiting Seoul, North Korea fired an unidentified ballistic missile over the Sea of Japan. The launch took place at 12:01 a.m. Korean time. According to the J/FPS-5 radar posts, the missile reached an altitude of about 100 km and covered a distance of 1,100 km, flying in the direction of the northeast.
Direction of flight of the ballistic missile that landed outside the Japanese Exclusive Economic Zone. Illustration: Міноборони Японії
In November 2023, the DPRK successfully launched the Malligyong-1 reconnaissance satellite using a Chollima-1 launch vehicle after two previous failed attempts. Pyongyang claimed that the spy satellite was designed to monitor "dangerous military activities" of the United States and South Korea.
North Korea's close cooperation with Russia underscores the importance of strengthening the security partnership between the United States, South Korea, Japan and NATO. Blinken stressed that security in the Indo-Pacific and Europe is becoming increasingly interconnected.
Source: Yonhap
