North Korea’s air force conducts anti-air combat and air raid drills, attended by leader Kim Jong-un, on May 15, 2025, in this photo released by the Korean Central News Agency two days later. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, May 19 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s military on Monday raised the possibility that North Korea received technological assistance from Russia in developing a new air-to-air missile following the North’s test of the weapon last week.
On Saturday, the North’s state media reported North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversaw anti-air combat and air raid drills by an air force flight group earlier in the week, unveiling what appeared to be a live-fire drill involving a new air-to-air missile launched from a MiG-29 fighter jet.
“We believe there is an association,” Col. Lee Sung-jun, spokesperson for the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), told a regular press briefing, when asked whether the North received arms and advanced technology from Russia in exchange for its troop deployment.
Lee said, however, that further analysis is necessary to determine the extent and scope of Russia’s possible technological assistance.
The JCS official added that it will likely take “considerable” time for the North to deploy such weapons systems for combat use.
“There have been many cases in which the North attempted to deceive or exaggerate… issues in securing parts and material have led to delays in deployment,” he said. “We believe the weapons systems will also take considerable time (to be operational).”
South Korea is seeking to develop its own air-to-air missile system, with defense authorities aiming to complete a research project to build a short-range air-to-air missile system by 2032 and deploy it by 2035.
The North’s latest drills came as Kim has been highlighting the importance of modernizing conventional weapons as he recently made a series of public visits to military units and munitions factories and emphasized stronger war preparations.
(Yonhap)
