MSMT's first report highlighting illegal arms transfers between Pyongyang and Moscow released

More than a year ago, the UN Panel of Experts on North Korea which monitors sanctions against the regime was disbanded after Russia's veto.

An alternative multi-national team is now filling the gap, which released its first report.

It reveals details on arms trade between North Korea and Russia, including the latter's reward to the regime.

Kim Bo-kyoung has more.

North Korea has provided enough heavy artillery to Russia for three brigades, while Russia offered air defense systems to the North in return.

This, from the very first report by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team, released on Thursday.

The team serves as an alternative framework to the UN Panel of Experts on North Korean sanctions monitoring after it was disbanded in March 2024 due to Russia's veto.

The inaugural report by 11 participating states focused on the illegal military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow.

The North has supplied Russia with over 20-thousand containers worth of artillery shells and related materials since September 2023.

Around nine million artillery and rocket shells were transferred to Russia over 49 cargo shipments last year. and so were more than a hundred ballistic missiles, over two-hundred heavy artillery pieces, as well as anti-tank missiles and rockets.

Furthermore, eight-thousand North Korean laborers were dispatched to Russia last year, and several thousand more are planned to be sent in the first half of this year.

Russia, meanwhile, has transferred at least one Pantsir-class combat vehicle, along with electronic warfare jamming devices since last November.

Through the joint statement, the team urged the North to engage in meaningful diplomacy, and said it will continue to monitor the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions on the North.

Kim Bo-kyoung, Arirang News.