Russia Reportedly to Share Satellite Tech With North Korea in Exchange for Arms

Russia is prepared to provide North Korea with advanced space and satellite technologies in exchange for weapons and other equipment to support its war against Ukraine. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that on January 6 following talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yong in Seoul, Yonhap news agency reported.

"We have reasons to believe that Moscow intends to share advanced space and satellite technology to Pyongyang," Blinken said in a joint press conference.

"Putin may be close to reversing a decades-long policy by accepting DPRK 's nuclear weapons program," he said. "That concern is very much a focus, not only for the United States, but also Korea and Japan."

Blinken emphasized that North Korea's growing alignment with Russia highlights the importance of strengthening security cooperation between the US, South Korea, and Japan, as well as with NATO, given the increasing interconnection between security dynamics in the Indo-Pacific and Europe.

"The United States looks forward to Korea, along with Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, continuing to increase cooperation with NATO to stand together to defend international rules and principles," he said.

On December 14, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Russia had deployed North Korean soldiers for the first time to attack Ukrainian positions in Russia’s Kursk region.