North Korea’s Military Drone Exports Target U.S. Rivals.

North Korea is preparing to export military drones to U.S. rivals, including Iran and Russia, despite international sanctions. Kim Jong Un initiated full-scale drone production and the regime is employing covert strategies to facilitate arms exports. The implications for international security and enforcement responses are uncertain.

North Korea is poised to expand its military drone exports to U.S. adversaries, including Iran and its allied groups, according to a recent report. Despite enduring international sanctions aimed at constraining its arms trade, Pyongyang is accelerating the production of war drones.

In November, Kim Jong Un directed his government to initiate full-scale production of drones urgently. The regime is attempting to fortify relationships with its limited international partners while generating foreign currency through sophisticated techniques to avoid detection, despite U.N. sanctions designed to hinder its nuclear activities.

Reports indicate that Russia is a significant recipient, having allegedly received thousands of containers of munitions from North Korea to support its military actions in Ukraine. Additionally, reports reveal that North Korean authorities commenced inspection of drones for export on March 7, marking the drones set for immediate shipment, as disclosed by a high-ranking official.

The report highlights that the export destinations consist of Iran, Syria, Houthi rebels in Yemen, militant groups across Africa, and potentially Russia. The drones are produced in a facility located in North Pyongan Province and encompass reconnaissance and loitering suicide unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

To mitigate international scrutiny, North Korea is reportedly employing strategies such as shipping UAV components separately through various routes for on-site assembly. Furthermore, to enhance opaqueness, the regime favors untraceable transactions using cryptocurrencies and operates through front companies to complicate payment systems.

Vann Van Diepen, a former weapons of mass destruction expert with the U.S. State Department, remarked that while North Korea may aim to compete on price in the conventional weapons market, it remains uncertain if the drones will be perceived as technologically capable enough to justify their pricing when compared to established non-Western suppliers.

The response from the U.N and regional enforcement entities, including the United States, to North Korea’s potential drone shipments remains uncertain. However, the weakening of enforcement measures due to the dismantling of the U.N. sanctions review panel by Russia may facilitate Pyongyang’s ability to evade oversight and expand its arms exports.

In summary, North Korea is ramping up its military drone production and plans to export these drones to various U.S. adversaries, including Iran and Russia. Despite facing international sanctions, Kim Jong Un’s regime is advancing its arms trade through covert strategies to avoid detection. The potential impacts on international security and the responses from U.N. entities and other nations remain to be seen.

Original Source: www.newsweek.com