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The Guardian
21 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
North Korea's military is being transformed on the battlefields of Ukraine – so why is Seoul silent?
When North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles from its eastern coast in May, South Korea's response was swift. Within hours, Seoul joined Washington and Tokyo in condemning the launch as a 'serious threat' to regional peace and security. But just weeks earlier, when a North Korean KN-23 missile – designed to strike South Korean targets – hit a residential building in Kyiv, killing 12 civilians, Seoul said nothing. That silence fits a broader pattern. There was no response when Russia reportedly deployed a surface-to-air missile system to protect Pyongyang, nor when Ukrainian intelligence revealed that Russian instructors were training North Korean drone pilots on home soil, even as Kim Jong-un voiced 'unconditional support' for Moscow's war. Relations between the North and South, technically still at war, remain tense and the muted response has raised questions from analysts over whether Seoul fully grasps the consequences of what many see as North Korea's most significant military transformation in decades – one shaped in real warfare, on the battlefields of Ukraine. 'We definitely should be alarmed,' says Chun In-bum, a former South Korean special forces commander. 'But it's just the nature of people to avoid catastrophe or be indifferent to the terrors of reality.' According to Ukraine's military intelligence agency, North Korea supplies 40% of all munitions used by Russia in its war against Kyiv. It has dramatically increased arms production at home, with Moscow paying Pyongyang directly. In autumn last year, Pyongyang dispatched an estimated 12,000 troops to fight in Russia's Kursk region. That deployment has since expanded significantly. An additional 6,000 soldiers are now joined by 1,000 military engineers, hundreds of railway engineers, bridge-building specialists, logistics personnel, electricians, military police, and even interpreters, focused largely on rebuilding the battle-scarred Kursk region, according to Ukrainian officials. This military partnership with Moscow has been invaluable for Kim Jong-un's regime, Maj Gen Vadym Skibitskyi, deputy head of Ukraine's military intelligence agency, the HUR, told the Guardian. 'North Korea's armed forces got new ammunition [from Russia]. Its soldiers gained experience of modern conflict. No other army in the region – Japan, South Korea and other countries – [has] participated in a modern war between two huge regular armies.' The ideological commitment of their forces became clear when Ukraine captured two wounded North Korean prisoners in January. 'We were shocked by them. They were bio-robots. They tried to kill themselves by biting their own veins,' Skibitskyi says. When one was asked if he wanted to return home, he replied: 'Yes, because I will be treated like a hero. I fought in a modern war.' North Korean troops are learning about combined arms warfare and the operation of strike and reconnaissance drones, electronic warfare systems, and other technologies previously unfamiliar to them. Moscow has transferred advanced weaponry and has helped upgrade the accuracy of North Korea's KN-23 ballistic missiles, which have since targeted Ukrainian urban centres, including Kharkiv. In June, the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, issued a pointed warning identifying South Korea directly: 'This must be addressed now, not when thousands of upgraded Shahed drones and ballistic missiles begin to threaten Seoul and Tokyo.' However, a mix of strategic, economic and political factors are discouraging more visible action from South Korea, says Dr Yang Uk, a defence expert at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul. Acknowledging North Korea's military experience as a direct threat to Seoul would create pressure for a more robust domestic response, including potential weapons transfers to Ukraine that remain deeply unpopular in South Korea. 'Defence officials are particularly wary after December's events,' Yang said, referring to the failed declaration of martial law by South Korean's then president, Yoon Suk Yeol. 'They're really afraid of political attack and prefer to stay unseen by the public and press.' Yang warns that Russia is working to integrate North Korea into its long-term defence supply chain – a partnership that could reshape Asia's military balance long after the war ends. Some analysts see Seoul's silence as an extension of its longstanding 'strategic ambiguity': a reluctance to engage in foreign conflicts or unnecessarily alienate key powers, particularly those that might retain influence over Pyongyang. Economic factors weigh heavily too. Prewar, Russia was one of South Korea's top trading partners. Amid Donald Trump's tariff threats, the new Lee Jae Myung government's focus on economic recovery and 'pragmatic diplomacy' leaves little appetite for confrontation. Domestic politics also play a role. Lee's Democratic party supports engagement with the North, reflecting how South Korea's left-right divide centres more on North Korea policy than on western progressive values. Voices on the left argue South Korea owes Ukraine nothing. Some of Seoul's inertia may be bureaucratic. Chun points to procurement and planning processes that can take years, even as threats evolve within months. 'We are dealing with a level 10 super Godzilla,' he said. 'But the bureaucracy only sees a tiger.' North Koreans are already employing what they have learned in battle, he warns. 'This should be a real wake-up call.' Skibitskyi echoes that concern, suggesting South Korea's military doctrine is outdated and modelled on a pre-drone era. When asked by the Guardian whether it viewed North Korea's deployments and combat experience in Ukraine as a security concern, South Korea's defence ministry avoided addressing the implications directly. 'The participation of North Korean military personnel in the war in Ukraine constitutes a flagrant violation of the UN charter and relevant UN security council resolutions,' a spokesperson said. 'The Republic of Korea strongly condemns such inhumane and unlawful acts in concert with the international community.' Whether Seoul's cautious approach reflects calculated long-term strategy or institutional paralysis remains unclear. But for Chun, the warning signs are impossible to ignore. 'This is like a speeding train coming towards you,' he said. 'You better move aside or start making preparations – while you still have time.'
The Guardian
21 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
North Korea's military is being transformed on the battlefields of Ukraine – so why is Seoul silent?
When North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles from its eastern coast in May, South Korea's response was swift. Within hours, Seoul joined Washington and Tokyo in condemning the launch as a 'serious threat' to regional peace and security. But just weeks earlier, when a North Korean KN-23 missile – designed to strike South Korean targets – hit a residential building in Kyiv, killing 12 civilians, Seoul said nothing. That silence fits a broader pattern. There was no response when Russia reportedly deployed a surface-to-air missile system to protect Pyongyang, nor when Ukrainian intelligence revealed that Russian instructors were training North Korean drone pilots on home soil, even as Kim Jong-un voiced 'unconditional support' for Moscow's war. Relations between the North and South, technically still at war, remain tense and the muted response has raised questions from analysts over whether Seoul fully grasps the consequences of what many see as North Korea's most significant military transformation in decades – one shaped in real warfare, on the battlefields of Ukraine. 'We definitely should be alarmed,' says Chun In-bum, a former South Korean special forces commander. 'But it's just the nature of people to avoid catastrophe or be indifferent to the terrors of reality.' According to Ukraine's military intelligence agency, North Korea supplies 40% of all munitions used by Russia in its war against Kyiv. It has dramatically increased arms production at home, with Moscow paying Pyongyang directly. In autumn last year, Pyongyang dispatched an estimated 12,000 troops to fight in Russia's Kursk region. That deployment has since expanded significantly. An additional 6,000 soldiers are now joined by 1,000 military engineers, hundreds of railway engineers, bridge-building specialists, logistics personnel, electricians, military police, and even interpreters, focused largely on rebuilding the battle-scarred Kursk region, according to Ukrainian officials. This military partnership with Moscow has been invaluable for Kim Jong-un's regime, Maj Gen Vadym Skibitskyi, deputy head of Ukraine's military intelligence agency, the HUR, told the Guardian. 'North Korea's armed forces got new ammunition [from Russia]. Its soldiers gained experience of modern conflict. No other army in the region – Japan, South Korea and other countries – [has] participated in a modern war between two huge regular armies.' The ideological commitment of their forces became clear when Ukraine captured two wounded North Korean prisoners in January. 'We were shocked by them. They were bio-robots. They tried to kill themselves by biting their own veins,' Skibitskyi says. When one was asked if he wanted to return home, he replied: 'Yes, because I will be treated like a hero. I fought in a modern war.' North Korean troops are learning about combined arms warfare and the operation of strike and reconnaissance drones, electronic warfare systems, and other technologies previously unfamiliar to them. Moscow has transferred advanced weaponry and has helped upgrade the accuracy of North Korea's KN-23 ballistic missiles, which have since targeted Ukrainian urban centres, including Kharkiv. In June, the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, issued a pointed warning identifying South Korea directly: 'This must be addressed now, not when thousands of upgraded Shahed drones and ballistic missiles begin to threaten Seoul and Tokyo.' However, a mix of strategic, economic and political factors are discouraging more visible action from South Korea, says Dr Yang Uk, a defence expert at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul. Acknowledging North Korea's military experience as a direct threat to Seoul would create pressure for a more robust domestic response, including potential weapons transfers to Ukraine that remain deeply unpopular in South Korea. 'Defence officials are particularly wary after December's events,' Yang said, referring to the failed declaration of martial law by South Korean's then president, Yoon Suk Yeol. 'They're really afraid of political attack and prefer to stay unseen by the public and press.' Yang warns that Russia is working to integrate North Korea into its long-term defence supply chain – a partnership that could reshape Asia's military balance long after the war ends. Some analysts see Seoul's silence as an extension of its longstanding 'strategic ambiguity': a reluctance to engage in foreign conflicts or unnecessarily alienate key powers, particularly those that might retain influence over Pyongyang. Economic factors weigh heavily too. Prewar, Russia was one of South Korea's top trading partners. Amid Donald Trump's tariff threats, the new Lee Jae Myung government's focus on economic recovery and 'pragmatic diplomacy' leaves little appetite for confrontation. Domestic politics also play a role. Lee's Democratic party supports engagement with the North, reflecting how South Korea's left-right divide centres more on North Korea policy than on western progressive values. Voices on the left argue South Korea owes Ukraine nothing. Some of Seoul's inertia may be bureaucratic. Chun points to procurement and planning processes that can take years, even as threats evolve within months. 'We are dealing with a level 10 super Godzilla,' he said. 'But the bureaucracy only sees a tiger.' North Koreans are already employing what they have learned in battle, he warns. 'This should be a real wake-up call.' Skibitskyi echoes that concern, suggesting South Korea's military doctrine is outdated and modelled on a pre-drone era. When asked by the Guardian whether it viewed North Korea's deployments and combat experience in Ukraine as a security concern, South Korea's defence ministry avoided addressing the implications directly. 'The participation of North Korean military personnel in the war in Ukraine constitutes a flagrant violation of the UN charter and relevant UN security council resolutions,' a spokesperson said. 'The Republic of Korea strongly condemns such inhumane and unlawful acts in concert with the international community.' Whether Seoul's cautious approach reflects calculated long-term strategy or institutional paralysis remains unclear. But for Chun, the warning signs are impossible to ignore. 'This is like a speeding train coming towards you,' he said. 'You better move aside or start making preparations – while you still have time.'
The Sun
6 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
Fridge-raiding Kim Jong-un ‘sparing no expense' to get hands on Ozempic – but he'll test on guinea pig civilians first
KIM Jong-un is "sparing no effort or expense" to get his hands on weight-loss drugs after piling the pounds back on, insiders have revealed. It comes as sources told how the North Korean tyrant's obesity-related health problems has forced a shift in his role as Supreme Leader. 7 7 7 Wary Kim has now ordered his close confidants to find new medicines abroad to help him trim back, such as Ozempic or a similar drug. Insiders say fridge-raider Kim - who is known to have a legendary appetite - will likely bulk-buy a weight-loss drug before testing it on citizens with a similar figure. One senior North Korea observer said: "If the past is any guide, it is probable that they'd make a bulk purchase. "Because it's a new drug and a new drug to Kim, they might select North Korean citizens with a similar body type and medical history as Kim so they try the drug first for any side effects. "Kim's father, Kim Jong Il, once had some of his aides injected with opiates. "That way, if he became dependent or addicted, they'd all have to detox together." Plump Kim, who stands at just 5ft 6ins, tipped the scales at a whopping 22 stone at his largest before shedding the pounds. Eye-opening images revealed a drastic weight loss in 2021 - but the Supreme Leader has again ballooned to up to over 20 stone. Kim's health has long raised eyebrows - and his love for cigarettes, drinking and imported cheese is a far cry from a healthy diet. North Korea's 'Benidorm' to FINALLY open next week as tyrant Kim Jong-Un cuts ribbon - and Brits have signed up to visit He is suspected to suffer from high blood pressure and diabetes, as well as gout - joint pain linked to a rich diet. Both Kim's father and grandfather died from heart issues, making the dictator likely fearful of the same fate. Michael Madden, founder of NK Leadership Watch, told The Sun: "When we see him in state media reporting, he is often sitting down. "He doesn't walk any great distances, and he uses the car more often to travel short distances at public engagements. "This also raises the question - what has caused the weight gain? "Is it a combination of compulsive stress eating, a sedentary lifestyle and lack of physical activity? Is it a side effect of medication? "If Kim is on medications, do they treat a chronic medical condition that might result in weight gain or metabolism issues? "Then again, do Kim's doctors tell him the truth about his health or conceal a more serious problem?" South Korean spies this month claimed Kim is on the hunt for new weight-loss medicines such as Ozempic from Western countries. And his inner circle will be doing everything they can to get their hands on what their Dear Leader demands. 7 7 7 Mr Madden added: "When it comes to the leader's medical treatments, the regime spares no effort or expense to import the best available medicine, medical devices etc, from foreign countries, usually from Central Europe. "If things get pretty dire, the North Koreans will retain foreign physicians and other specialists. "The way this happens is through the Personal Secretariat, which is Kim's executive office as leader and runs his households and domestic life. "The Personal Secretariat has what they call a 'network of correspondents'. "These are elite North Koreans working either in small work teams or as individuals at North Korean embassies or other foreign missions. "They perform a number of discreet tasks on behalf of Kim and some core elites - collecting or interpreting information, making purchases, conducting off the record interactions." Top insiders noted "significant process changes in the regime" as Kim 's daughter Ju-ae takes on an "expanding" role - while the dumpy despot takes more of a backseat at events. Kim has yet to anoint an official successor - though his daughter, believed to be 12 or 13, is touted as a strong possibility. When it comes to the leader's medical treatments, the regime spares no effort or expense to import the best available medicine, medical devices etc, from foreign countries, usually from Central Europe Michael Madden One source said: "Restrictions on or disappearing of senior officials from public events is a sign of political transition or regime collapse; in North Korea, it's the former. "The biggest things here are his inaccessibility at public events and the evolving public presence of Ju-ae. "Kim used to be fairly easy to interact with at public events, now they hang back and don't engage as freely as before. "Ju-ae's role and profile have expanded. In the last month, she has started wearing new, more mature clothing. She's starting to resemble her mum. "Ju-ae is also interacting with foreign and DPRK leadership figures more readily." Rumours have also swirled Kim's Gucci-loving daughter Ju-ae is on route to one day take the reins after she was seen accompanying her father at several missile launches. She is regularly presented in carefully controlled state media as his "beloved" and "precious" child - fuelling rumours about her role in the regime in the future. Kim's iron-fist sister Kim Yo-jong, wife Ri Sol ju, brother Kim Jong-chul, his top generals - premier Kim Tok-hun, general Choe Ryong-hae and marshal Pak Jong-chon could also be in the running. A source added: "We are definitely seeing the outliers for succession. "The 10th Party Congress in 2031 will likely be Ju-ae's major debut as a North Korean elite." 7 Kim's legendary appetite INTELLIGENCE services and insiders have previously claimed Kim Jong-un is a prolific binge eater, drinker and smoker. The Kim family's ex-sushi chef Kenji Fujimoto has claimed the dictator once boasted he had consumed ' 10 bottles of Bordeaux" during a meal. Kim is also reportedly absolutely crackers about Emmental cheese after developing a taste for it while studying in Switzerland as a teen. Cheese and wine are not the only treats Kim enjoys however, with only the best being good enough for the North Korean leader as his people starve and live in poverty. Kim's staff reportedly brought along a host of high calorie and luxurious foods for their leader during his summit with US President Donald Trump in Vietnam in March 2019. A team of personal chefs was also brought along to help tend to Kim - with the cook at Hanoi's luxury Metropole saying they tasted dishes for an hour to make sure they were perfect for their leader. Cavier and lobster are both also reportedly part of Kim's palate, even though both are banned from being imported into North Korea by the United Nations. Kim is also a fan of the delicacy shark fin soup, according to Mr Fujimoto. Booze-loving Kim also reportedly likes to drink at least two bottles of Cristal Champagne per sitting, the chef said. Bottles of the ritzy plonk can cost up to £7,500 - meaning Kim could drink away £15,000 during every meal. Hundreds of thousands of bottle of cognac and vodka are also reportedly regularly imported to the Pyongyang, believed to be bound for Kim and the North Korea elite. Kim is also reported to have pushed from a Western-style burger joint - such as a McDonald's - to open in North Korea during talks with the US. Kim allegedly hated being called fat - being dubbed Kim Fatty III in Chinese media. North Korea officials reportedly made a state request to China to get them to drop the nickname. Other insulting names used by Kim's nearest ally include Kim Fat Fatty and Kim Abundant III. Donald Trump even called Kim "short and fat" on Twitter as the two traded barbs before their string of high profile summits in 2018. North Korea experts have previously claimed Kim's weight is actually a well-cultivated ploy to make him look like his revered grandfather Kim Il-sung. His grandad is also claimed to have been a gourmand, having cows fed beer and had them massaged to make the meat more tender. Kim's dad Kim Jong-il also died of a heart attack in 2011. And while people may crack jokes about Kim's weight battle, around 40% of North Korea's population is undernourished.
The Sun
6 days ago
- The Sun
North Korea's new ‘Benidorm' resort mysteriously BANS foreign tourists days after opening – following years of delays
NORTH Korea has mysteriously banned foreign tourists from its shiny new seaside resort just days after opening - following years of hype and farcical delays. Dubbed the "North Korean Benidorm", Wonsan-Kalma Coastal Tourist Zone was supposed to spearhead Kim Jong-un's drive to boost international tourism - but the fun is over already. 13 13 13 The Costa del Sol-inspired resort - complete with beaches, waterparks and a strip - had been promoted to international tourism markets. Wonsan threw open its doors to much fanfare on July 1, with footage showing Kim beaming in front of jack-rabbiting crowds and sitting back watch "volunteers" fly down waterslides. But then a notice popped up on the national tourism website slapping a "temporary" ban on all overseas visitors. According to state-run North Korean news, a group of 15 Russian holidaymakers rocked up last week - around the same time Russia's Foreign Minster Sergei Lavrov visited Kim in Wonsan. Lavrov heaped praise on the "good tourist attraction" and said he hoped it would become a popular hols spot for Russians. NK News said the Russians had been "wowed" by "lavish ten-dish meals", "eerily good service" and "endless beaches". Other eager Russians will no doubt be disappointed to miss out on this mind-boggling experience. And a Russian tour guide previously told NK News that they had planned several more trips to the resort in the coming months - but not anymore. The chance of other international travellers being permitted a peak behind the curtain is looking evermore remote. Hundreds of Brits put their name down when a travel firm, On The Beach, set up a page for people to express their interest in visiting Wonsan. Kim Jong Un sheds tears over North Korean troops killed in Ukraine The city is where Kim spent much of his youth, among holiday villas, maritime infrastructure - and missile facilities. The dictator oversaw the project himself, and was reportedly inspired by the way Europeans choose to holiday in countries like Spain. He is even said to have dispatched a team to the Costa del Sol to take notes and report back. The result is a 2.5-mile stretch of beachfront lined with restaurants, hotels for 20,000 people, shopping malls and water park. 13 13 13 13 Kim has proudly inspected the construction project several times over the years - and returned at the end of June for a bizarre opening ceremony. And declared that the completed project would go down as 'one of the greatest successes this year' and hailed the site as 'the proud first step' towards a thriving tourism industry. But the work did not always go according to plan - and was repeatedly stalled by a range of problems. At one point, the site was even overrun by homeless wanderers - known as "kotjebi" in North Korea - who filled the empty hotels with faeces. 13 13 13 If overseas visitors are ever allowed in, campaigners have warned that nobody's safety is assured. Greg Scarlatoiu, director of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, said a trip there would be unsafe and immoral. He said: 'The Wonsan-Kalma resort was built with forced labour. Vacationing there is morally and ethically wrong – it is truly an abomination. 'Having Russian nationals vacation there is testament to the pathetic isolation of both Russia and North Korea.' Past tourists in the country have even lost their lives. Greg gave the example of Otto Warmbier, an American student arrested on dubious charges during a trip to Pyongyang in 2016. Accused of taking down a propaganda poster, he was detained for 17 months. 13 13
Telegraph
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Telegraph style book: Kk
K Kalashnikov karaoke Kasparov, Garry Kaye, Gorden: ('Allo 'Allo! star) KC, King's Counsel kd lang: Is how she stylises her name Kellogg's Kim Il-sung Kim Jong-il Kim Jong-un King's Speech is delivered at the State Opening of Parliament. King's Christmas message, every December 25. Kinski, Nastassja KitKat Knesset: The Israeli parliament; sits in Jerusalem. Initial cap Ku Klux Klan Kwik-Fit
