North Korea Made Billions Arming Russia for the Ukraine War, Report Says

South Korean estimates suggest North Korea earned between $7 billion and $13.8 billion by supplying Russia with artillery shells, rocket systems, KN-23 ballistic missiles and military personnel. Analysts say the growing partnership with Moscow is boosting Pyongyang’s economy while expanding its military and technological capabilities. Make us preferred on Google Flip Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un arrive for a meeting at Kumsusan state residence in Pyongyang on June 19, 2024. (Photo by Gavriil Grigorov / POOL / AFP) Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google North Korea may have earned up to $13 billion through its expanding military cooperation with Russia, supplying weapons, ammunition and troops in support of Moscow’s war in Ukraine . According to South Korean estimates quoted by Nikkei Asia , Pyongyang supplied Russia with artillery shells, rocket systems, KN-23 short-range ballistic missiles and other military equipment worth between $7 billion and $13.8 billion over the past three years. Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . The upper estimate is nearly equivalent to North Korea’s annual gross domestic product (GDP). While the country’s GDP figures vary due to limited official data, the UN estimated North Korea’s economy at $17.2 billion in 2024, while South Korea’s central bank estimated it at around $25.3 billion. South Korean analysts said North Korea’s economy grew by 3.7% in 2024 – its highest growth rate since Western sanctions were tightened in 2016. South Korean researchers said the reported revenue surge comes as ties between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin deepen following the signing of a mutual defense pact in June 2024. In return, Pyongyang is believed to be receiving foreign currency, energy supplies, materials for weapons production, military technologies and consumer goods. Military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang intensified after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Weapons shipments reportedly increased further after Putin and Kim signed a strategic partnership deal during Putin’s visit to Pyongyang in June 2024. Other Topics of Interest Russia Floods Info Space With AI War Videos as Gains Stall – ISW Russia is increasingly using AI-generated videos to fake battlefield gains in Ukraine, including staged flag-raising clips, according to the ISW. Analysts said the campaign grows as real advances slow, with Ukraine rejecting several fabricated videos. Ukraine confirmed Russia’s use of North Korean KN-23 missiles in late 2023, with later reports suggesting their accuracy improved over time . North Korea is believed to have supplied nearly 250 KN-23 ballistic missiles to Russia. The system is reportedly based on technology developed with Russian assistance. Nam Jin Wook, a researcher at the Korea Development Institute, a South Korean government-affiliated think tank, said the increase in military supplies to Russia could lead to long-term changes in North Korea’s industrial structure and technological capabilities. The rapid growth of the defense industry and improved energy supplies are already having a positive impact on the lives of Pyongyang residents. Eyewitnesses said that in 2025, the number of luxury cars on the streets had increased significantly compared to previous years. However, it remains unclear whether these benefits extend to the majority of the population living in rural areas. Around 10,000 North Korean special forces troops remain in combat zones in Russia, according to a South Korean lawmaker who visited Ukraine in February. North Korean troops began fighting Ukrainian forces in late 2024 and helped Russia recapture parts of the Kursk region. Their involvement was later officially confirmed by both Pyongyang and Moscow. Another 10,000 engineers, along with drone operators and support personnel, are also believed to be assisting Russian operations near the front line – in October 2025, Ukraine’s General Staff said Pyongyang troops were flying reconnaissance drones to help Russian forces adjust fire near Ukraine’s Sumy region. Reports additionally indicate that Pyongyang may send up to 30,000 more troops to Russia. According to South Korean intelligence, as of February, approximately 6,000 North Korean soldiers had been killed or wounded. South Korean estimates also suggest Russia paid North Korea more than $600 million for the deployment of North Korean troops beginning in the fall of 2024. North Korean soldiers fighting in the war against Ukraine may receive approximately $2,000 per month. In the event of their death, their families are reportedly promised compensation of up to $10,000 in addition to elite housing in Pyongyang. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization since 1995. Its international market reach of 97% outside of Ukraine makes it truly Ukraine’s Global – and most reliable – Voice.