Russia plans sharing advanced satellite technology with North Korea, according to a warning from Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
“The DPRK is already receiving Russian military equipment and training. Now, we have reason to believe that Moscow is willing to share advanced space and satellite technology with Pyongyang,” Blinken said when Seoul, used. The official name of North Korea.
Such technology could allow North Korea to identify targets and targets to attack adversaries around the world, including the U.S. As of last year, North Korea is estimated to have a stockpile of 50 nuclear weapons.
The warning comes as North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan, ramping up its weapons tests in the weeks before the President-elect. Donald Trump it takes work.
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Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul attend a joint press conference in South Korea. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
In one of his last steps as the head of Department of State, Blinken was visiting Seoul for talks with South Korean allies about the North Korean nuclear threat. He will also visit officials from Japan, France, Italy and the Holy See.
Providing North Korea with satellite technology will come after North Korea provided Russia with troops and weapons to fight its war against Ukraine.
Russia “may be close” to accepting North Korea's nuclear weapons program, reversing a decades-old commitment to denuclearize the DPRK.
“The DPRK is already receiving Russian military equipment and training. Now, we have reason to believe that Moscow is willing to share advanced space and satellite technology with Pyongyang,” State Secretary Antony Blinken said. said. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
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Russia helped North Korea launch its first successful satellite in 2023. A Russian rocket launched an Iranian satellite into orbit in November, sparking the 21st century space race between the US and its enemies.
Last year, Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, issued a dire warning calling on the Biden administration to downplay information that was later revealed about Russia's anti-terrorist capabilities. satellite.
A man walks past a TV broadcasting a news report about North Korea firing a ballistic missile off the east coast of Seoul, South Korea. (REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji)
In May, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy John Plumb warned that Russia was developing an “indiscriminate” nuclear weapon designed for space, highlighting the potential implications for negotiations, trade and national security.
At a year-end political summit, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to implement his “tough” anti-US policy and criticized the Biden administration for strengthening ties with South Korea and In Japan, he described the alliance as “a nuclear weapon for aggression. .”
During his administration, President Trump met with Kim three times for talks nuclear programs. However, encouraged by Russia's support and the reduced effectiveness of international sanctions, Kim may be less likely to stand up in negotiations with the US than ever before.
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It is also unclear whether Trump would put the same pressure on strengthening America's alliances in Asia with the Biden administration. In the past, he complained about the cost of keeping 28,000 US troops in South Korea to prevent threats from the north and force Seoul to increase its defense contributions.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.