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North Korea Reveals New Missile That Could Extend MiG-29 Strike Reach—Seoul Suspects Russian Trace

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Vlad Litnarovych
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North Korea Reveals New Missile That Could Extend MiG-29 Strike Reach—Seoul Suspects Russian Trace
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during the tests of North Korean new air-to-air missile, May 17, 2025. (Source: KCNA)

South Korea’s military is weighing whether North Korea’s brand-new air-to-air missile—and a batch of retrofit “smart” bombs showcased in drills last week—owes more to Russian know-how than to Pyongyang’s own labs, South Korean media outlet Yonhap reported on May 19.

On Saturday, North Korean state media released photos and video of leader Kim Jong-un overseeing anti-air and air-to-ground drills. One clip showed a MiG-29 firing a radar-guided missile the North had never displayed before.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un witnessed the firing during an inspection of the 1st Guards Air Division, where a MiG-29 fighter carried out the live-fire drill.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during the tests of North Korean new air-to-air missile, May 17, 2025. (Source: KCNA)
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during the tests of North Korean new air-to-air missile, May 17, 2025. (Source: KCNA)

“We believe there is an association,” Col. Lee Sung-jun, spokesperson for South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters when asked if Moscow might have supplied technology in return for North Korean support to Russia’s war effort.

“Further analysis is needed to determine the extent and scope of Russia’s possible technological assistance.”

This development represents a tactical leap for the Korean People’s Army Air Force (KPAF), which has long relied on less capable missiles such as the R-23, R-24, and R-27.

Lee stressed that the North has a history of “deceiving or exaggerating” its progress and still faces chronic parts shortages. “We believe the weapons systems will also take considerable time” to reach combat readiness, he said.

Independent imagery analysts quickly noticed the missile’s resemblance to China’s PL-12, a beyond-visual-range weapon that uses mid-course data-link guidance and active radar homing in its terminal phase.

Judging by its overall length and distinctive nose profile, specialists believe the weapon houses an active-radar seeker and should match the capabilities of comparable systems abroad, with a probable reach of roughly 90–120 kilometers.

PL-12 AE air-to-air missile is on static display during the 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, or Airshow China 2024, on November 12, 2024, in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province of China. (Source: Getty Images)
PL-12 AE air-to-air missile is on static display during the 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, or Airshow China 2024, on November 12, 2024, in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province of China. (Source: Getty Images)

In an analysis published May 18, defense outlet Army Recognition said the North Korean round appears intentionally modeled on the PL-12 and is likely intended for the MiG-29 fleet—by far the most capable fighters in the Korean People’s Army Air Force.

Army Recognition also highlighted photos of free-fall bombs retrofitted with guidance kits, turning them into lower-cost precision-guided munitions comparable in concept to the US JDAM or Russia’s KAB series.

Such kits would markedly increase the accuracy of vintage Soviet bombs still stockpiled in the North.

North Korean Su-25 conduct bombing training during during the tests of North Korea’s new air-to-air missile, on May 17, 2025. (Source: KCNA)
North Korean Su-25 conduct bombing training during during the tests of North Korea’s new air-to-air missile, on May 17, 2025. (Source: KCNA)

Analysts add that it is still uncertain whether the missile has been fully married to the MiG-29’s native N019 radar and fire-control suite; the shot may have depended exclusively on the missile’s seeker rather than guidance from the aircraft.

Western intelligence agencies have already documented a deepening arms pipeline from Pyongyang to Moscow, including artillery shells and ballistic missiles destined for Russian forces in Ukraine.

Any transfer of advanced radar seekers, data links, or propulsion components would open a new chapter in that cooperation—one that could shift the balance of air power on the Korean Peninsula.

North Korean MiG-29 fires a new North Korean air-to-air missile during the tests on May 17, 2025. (Source: KCNA)
North Korean MiG-29 fires a new North Korean air-to-air missile during the tests on May 17, 2025. (Source: KCNA)

South Korean officials have not disclosed hard evidence of a transfer but note the timing: the missile appeared just months after reports that North Korean personnel and matériel had been shipped to Russia.

South Korea is racing to field its short-range air-to-air missile by 2035. Until then, the South relies on US-made AIM-120 AMRAAMs and domestically produced Chiron MANPADS to keep an edge over the North’s largely aging air force.

Earlier, North Korea began large-scale production of its KN-25 long-range artillery system, one of the most powerful rocket launchers of its kind.

The KN-25, a hybrid between a multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) and a tactical ballistic missile, fires 600mm guided rockets capable of striking targets up to 380 kilometers away.

With both tracked and wheeled variants, the system offers North Korean forces unprecedented mobility and flexibility for quick deployment and repositioning.

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