Kim Jong Un Sending Arms To Moscow? Surge In North Korea-Russia Border Rail Traffic Sparks Concerns

An unprecedented rise in rail traffic along the North Korea-Russia border has been observed in recent satellite imagery, raising alarms about potential arms transfers between the two nations.

What Happened: According to a report by Yonhap News on Friday, the imagery revealed a significant increase in the number of freight railcars at Tumangang Rail Station in Rason, a North Korean border city with Russia.

The Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies’ project, Beyond Parallel, reported the count to be approximately 73, a number that surpasses any observed in the past five years, even pre-pandemic levels.

The surge follows a rare summit held last month between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin. This has sparked speculation about a potential deal aiding North Korea’s weapons development and supporting Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine.

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“Given that Kim and Putin discussed some military exchanges and cooperation at their recent summit, the dramatic increase in rail traffic likely indicates North Korea’s supply of arms and munitions to Russia,” the project mentioned in its report.

However, the use of tarps covering the shipping containers and equipment makes it impossible to identify what is being transported at the Tumangang Rail Facility conclusively.

Recent reports suggest that North Korea has begun transferring artillery to Russia. Both Seoul and Washington have criticized any potential arms transfer, warning that it would violate multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions, which Russia itself voted for.

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