North Korea’s involvement in supplying ballistic missiles to Russia for use against Ukraine has become a matter of serious international concern, as fresh evidence suggests that the regime is capable of producing and transferring missiles within a matter of months. Jonah Leff, head of Conflict Armament Research, presented this alarming information to the UN Security Council on December 18, revealing that four missiles recovered from Ukraine in July and August included one marked with a production date of 2024. This marks the first public confirmation of North Korean missiles being produced and deployed in such a rapid timeframe, significantly raising the stakes in the ongoing conflict, as reported by AP.

It is a concept that will also concern authorities in South Korea where military forces were recently put on a heightened level of readiness during the impeachment vote of now suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Leff’s organisation, which has been active in Ukraine since 2018, previously reported in June that missile remnants found earlier in the year were confirmed to have been manufactured in North Korea. These revelations add further weight to the argument that Pyongyang’s support for Russia is both systematic and escalating. In late November, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un pledged that his country would "invariably support" Russia’s military efforts in Ukraine, a promise that is now materialising through direct arms transfers.

The US and its allies have long been wary of North Korea's missile capabilities and its growing alliance with Russia. US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield highlighted the significance of the findings, noting that Russia's blocking of UN resolutions monitoring North Korean sanctions underscores the critical role of independent organisations like Conflict Armament Research. Without such oversight, she warned, the illegal arms transfers between Russia and North Korea would likely continue unchecked.

However, Russia's UN Ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, sought to discredit Leff's report, accusing him of bias and questioning the neutrality of his organisation. He also condemned the US for politicising the Security Council’s work. In response, Thomas-Greenfield pointed out that Russia's obstruction of the UN's sanction monitoring makes independent assessments like those from Conflict Armament Research even more vital.

The growing ties between North Korea and Russia, particularly in military cooperation, have raised alarm bells internationally. North Korea's missile programme appears to be benefitting from a robust network for acquiring illicit materials, despite UN sanctions, further complicating efforts to curb its military ambitions.