Christine Drews Sieger
North Korea is reportedly earning billions from weapons shipments and troop deployments tied to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The war between Ukraine and Russia has not had troubling consequences for North Korea. Instead, it has led to significant growth in the North Korean economy, Nikkei Asia reports, as cited by The Moscow Times.
The economic gains are said to stem from the many North Korean soldiers deployed to the Russian front, as well as countless weapons shipments valued at up to $13.8 billion, according to the South Korean research institute Institute for National Security Strategy, The Moscow Times reports.
Weapons for Technology
Specialized analysts point out that the benefits of the cooperation for North Korea lie in its ability to mitigate the effects of international sanctions, which have heavily impacted Pyongyang, The Moscow Times reports.
The war has therefore contributed to an even closer relationship between Russia and North Korea, involving extensive military and economic cooperation.
This also includes mutual support in the event of military attacks. Moscow and Pyongyang entered into such an agreement back in 2024.
Thousands at the Front
According to a South Korean politician, North Korea’s support for Russia has had a massive impact on the war. Recent reports suggest that Pyongyang is now planning to send even more soldiers, special forces personnel, and military engineers to Russia’s front lines, The Moscow Times reports.
However, North Korea’s economic gains have also come at a cost, resulting in around 6,000 dead and wounded North Korean soldiers, according to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service.
From a Russian perspective, however, these figures are far lower than the number of Russian military deaths.
Recent reports show that more than 352,000 Russian soldiers were killed between April 2022 and October 2025. Not all of the soldiers have yet been identified, according to Mediazona.
Sources: Nikkei Asia, The Moscow Times, Institute for National Security Strategy, National Intelligence Service, Mediazona
