00:00Currently, North Korea is truly experiencing a great boom.
00:02In department stores in the North Korean capital Pyongyang, foreign luxury brands like Omega
00:06and Chanel have appeared, and there are even stores selling IKEA products.
00:09According to claims by the Ukrainian military, there are 8,500 North Korean troops deployed
00:13in Russia and they are mainly stationed in the Kursk region of Russia.
00:16The Ukrainian Defense Intelligence Agency revealed that among the North Korean troops
00:19dispatched, there are 1,000 engineering and deeming personnel, as well as 400 drone operators.
00:24It was revealed that a significant number of these drone operators are gaining combat
00:27experience by attacking Ukraine during the current North Korean troop deployment.
00:31Also, rather than being directly deployed to Ukrainian territory, the North Korean troops
00:35are currently assigned to rear stabilization missions, strengthening Russian rear bases
00:39so that Russian forces can be deployed to the Ukrainian front.
00:42Ukraine estimates that the number of North Korean troops stationed or rotated in Russia
00:46reaches about 25,000 to 50,000.
00:48On top of that, North Korea continues to supply missiles to Russia.
00:52North Korea has provided at least 150 KN-23 or KN-24 missiles to Russia by August 2025 and has
00:59agreed to supply an additional 120 missiles.
01:03Right now, Ukraine is running short on air defense missiles, so they can't properly intercept
01:07ballistic missiles.
01:08Because of this, Russia is taking advantage of the situation by getting missiles from North
01:12Korea and attacking Ukraine.
01:14As of July 2026, it is reported that North Korea possesses about 50 KN-23 series ballistic missiles.
01:20In addition, there are ongoing concerns about the possibility of North Korean military support
01:24in missile operations.
01:26Ukraine believes that a North Korean missile unit of about 90 personnel has started to be
01:29deployed in the Voronezh region of western Russia.
01:31If the deployment is confirmed, it means that North Korea is not only supplying missiles,
01:36but also sending personnel to operate them in Russia.
01:38In addition, there are reports that North Korea will send about 50,000 more troops to Ukraine
01:42by November, which means a noticeable increase in North Korean military presence.
01:46With the increase in troops, the North Korean military will be conducting operations not only
01:50in Russia's Kursk region where they are currently stationed, but also in Bryansk and Belgorod
01:53regions.
01:54Judging by the current situation, it seems more likely that they will focus on stabilizing
01:57the rear rather than actually being deployed to the front lines, allowing Russian troops
02:00stationed in the rear to be sent to the front instead.
02:02It appears that they are sending troops on a fairly large scale.
02:05The problem is that in exchange for selling various military supplies to Russia and dispatching
02:08troops, North Korea is receiving massive amounts of food, energy, and capital, leading
02:12to an unprecedented period of prosperity for the country.
02:14For example, there is currently traffic congestion in Pyongyang.
02:17In particular, the scenery in Pyongyang has changed quite a bit compared to before, with
02:21colourful high-rise apartment complexes being built along the road from the airport to the
02:25city centre.
02:26Luxury foreign brands are being sold at the Daesong department store in Pyongyang.
02:30Of course, even before, North Korea's elite used to buy luxury foreign brands, but in
02:34the past two years, these products have become much more commonly sold in retail stores.
02:37On top of that, there's an IKEA store operating at the Ryugyeong Golden Plaza in Pyongyang.
02:41Of course, it's not directly run by Sweden's IKEA, but rather, the products are imported
02:45illegally and sold there.
02:47Rachel Min Young Lee from the American think tank Stimson Center said that Pyongyang has
02:50noticeably become wealthier and transformed into a consumer-oriented city.
02:54She also noted that this is evident not only in the increase of high-rise buildings, cars,
02:58brightly lit streets, and cultural and leisure facilities, but also increased activity in
03:02public spaces.
03:02It is clear from various economic indicators that North Korea is currently enjoying significant
03:06wartime economic benefits.
03:07The Bank of Korea estimated that North Korea's real GDP increased by 3.5% in 2025.
03:13It grew by 3.7% in 2024, and by 3.1% in 2023.
03:17In contrast, it recorded a negative growth rate in 2022, decreasing by 0.2%.
03:22After escaping the economic slump that continued until 2022, North Korea has recorded growth
03:27rates in the 3% range for three consecutive years since 2023.
03:30Especially considering that North Korea's economy struggled with production and trade for a long
03:34time due to international sanctions and border controls from COVID-19, the recent growth trend
03:39is quite a remarkable change.
03:41It's also important to note when the growth trend of North Korea's economy began.
03:44In 2022, the economy turned to growth starting in 2023, and the growth rate was maintained
03:49in 2024 and 2025 as well.
03:51This period coincides with a time when North Korea was rapidly expanding its military cooperation
03:55with Russia.
03:56North Korea began supplying artillery shells and various military supplies to Russia, and
03:59later even dispatched troops, which led to an increase in the scale of economic transactions
04:02between the two countries.
04:04For North Korea, it means that they secured a new market in Russia even while international
04:07sanctions remained in place.
04:08In particular, the Institute for National Security Strategy estimated that from August 2023
04:12to December 2025, North Korea secured between $7.7 billion and up to $14.4 billion worth
04:18of cash and goods in exchange for dispatching troops to Russia and exporting military supplies.
04:22Converted to our currency, that's about $10 trillion to $20 trillion won.
04:25This amount includes the economic value of exporting military supplies and dispatching troops.
04:30The fact that a country with a relatively small economy like North Korea has received the
04:33scale of external resources is quite significant.
04:35An report published this March, the Institute for National Security Strategy found that North
04:39Korea's dispatch of troops and export of military supplies served as a key mechanism
04:42for overcoming its economic crisis.
04:44The resources that North Korea has secured through military cooperation with Russia include
04:47not only external support, but also various supplies and economic compensation, which
04:51could affect domestic production and consumption as well.
04:53As transactions with Russia have expanded, the increase in North Korea's related manufacturing,
04:58production and economic activity centered on the defense industry could be reflected
05:00in its recent growth rate.
05:02The important point here is not just the fact that North Korea's growth rate has increased,
05:04but the background behind that growth.
05:06That's because North Korea's economy is not growing due to improvements in its own industrial
05:09competitiveness or active investment from the private sector, but rather because
05:12Russia's wartime demand and military cooperation are playing a significant role.
05:15As the war in Ukraine has dragged on, there has been a need for large amounts of ammunition
05:18in military supplies, and North Korea has used its production capacity to supply them.
05:21As North Korea's defense industry production has expanded, it's possible that related sectors
05:25such as production, transportation and mining have also been affected.
05:27It is worth noting that North Korea's current economic growth is the result of securing a
05:31new source of income through military cooperation with Russia, even under international sanctions.
05:34The fact that North Korea, which recorded negative growth in 2022, has achieved a growth
05:38rate in the 3% range for three consecutive years starting in 2023 is a clear change.
05:42However, it is necessary to distinguish whether this growth trend is the result of strengthened
05:46competitiveness within North Korea's own economy or an external effect caused by Russia's
05:49wartime demand.
05:50According to the analyses released so far, the evidence increasingly supports the view
05:53that military cooperation with Russia has had a significant impact on North Korea's
05:56economic recovery.
05:57Then according to the Stimson Center, a US think tank, North Korea's exports to China
06:00from January to May 2026 increased by 68% compared to the same period last year.
06:05It is reported that the amount of virtual assets stolen by North Korea-linked hackers reached
06:09as much as 900 billion won in just the first half of this year.
06:12Since China and Russia openly helping North Korea, North Korea is showing rapid growth,
06:16which is not a very welcome situation for South Korea.
06:18Then, what's important is how North Korea will use the vast resources it has secured through
06:21military cooperation with Russia.
06:23There is a possibility that the North Korean regime could focus the funds and supplies it
06:26has secured on improving the productivity of its civilian economy, but judging from the
06:29policy direction North Korea has shown so far, it is highly likely that a significant
06:32amount of resources will be invested in strengthening its military power, including nuclear weapons
06:35and missiles.
06:36That's because North Korea's nuclear weapons and missiles are treated as core assets directly linked
06:39to the regime's survival.
06:39First, we can expect an expansion of North Korea's nuclear weapons production capabilities.
06:43North Korea continues to secure nuclear materials and operate related facilities to produce additional
06:47nuclear warheads, and it is likely to use resources obtained from outside to maintain and invest
06:51in the development and production of nuclear weapons.
06:53Especially if North Korea gains more economic leeway through cooperation with Russia, it could
06:57become easier than before to secure the resources needed to maintain the personnel, facilities
07:00and equipment required for nuclear weapons production.
07:02Currently, according to President Trump's claims, North Korea has about 57 nuclear weapons,
07:06while South Korea estimates that the number could be as high as 120, North Korea may try
07:10to increase this number further to strengthen its nuclear capabilities.
07:12In addition, there is a possibility that production in the field of ballistic missiles could also
07:15increase.
07:16North Korea has already developed a variety of short-range ballistic missiles and medium-range
07:19missiles, and there are suggestions that they may have obtained data on the performance
07:22and operation of these missiles, as the ones provided to Russia, have actually been
07:25used on the battlefield.
07:26If North Korea uses this data for its own testing and development, it could continue to improve
07:30the accuracy and reliability of its missiles.
07:32If investment in production facilities is also expanded, the speed of missile production
07:36itself could increase as well.
07:37Drone capabilities are also an important area.
07:39In the war between Russia and Ukraine, drones are being used not only for reconnaissance and
07:42attacks, but also to identify targets for artillery and missiles.
07:45If the North Korean military accumulates drone operation experience in Russia, and brings
07:48it back to North Korea, they can use it to expand their existing unmanned aerial
07:51vehicle capabilities and develop new operational tactics.
07:53If North Korea invests the resources it has secured into drone production facilities, communication
07:57systems, electronic warfare equipment, and reconnaissance capabilities, there could be changes in the way it is.
08:02If North Korea combines the military technology acquired from Russia with real combat experience
08:06gained through overseas deployments, the pace of its military modernization could accelerate
08:10compared to before.
08:11The larger the scale of troops and weapons that North Korea provides to Russia, the more battlefield
08:15experience and technical information it can gain in the process.
08:18Therefore, when looking at North Korea's current economic boom, what's important is not
08:21just the increase in consumption in Pyongyang.
08:23How much of the secured resources are invested in nuclear weapons, missiles, and drones become
08:27an important factor in determining the level of North Korea's military threat in the future.
08:30This is hect condition.
08:32You can go into the野azora's land and man spread of the State Department for Womdrift no��도.
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