"Russia supports Pyongyang's air defenses in exchange for troops"...Confirmation of military aid to North Korea

North Korea Has Concentrated Its Attacking Weapons..."Pyongyang Air Defense Reinforcement"

Expert "Possible to 'S-300' Russian-supported air defense system"

"Possible to support up to 4,000 troops operating long range artillery"

New type "Deciding step-by-step responses in consideration of allies' solidarity, etc."

[Anchor]
The government has confirmed that Russia provided air defense equipment and anti-aircraft missiles to North Korea in exchange for sending troops.

It is expected to be mainly used to defend Pyongyang, and North Korea, which has focused on developing offensive weapons, is also expected to build a new air defense network with the support of Russia.

I'm reporter Park Hee-jae.

[Reporter]
In exchange for North Korea's dispatch and support for long-range artillery, Russia's weapons system to North Korea has been identified as a defensive weapon that intercepts or detects aircraft or missiles.

Shin Won-sik, head of the National Security Office, said in a broadcast that he found out that Russia provided North Korea with air defense equipment and anti-aircraft missiles.

North Korea, which has focused on developing offensive weapons, seems to be reinforcing its weak air defense network around Pyongyang with Russian support.

It is the S-300 surface-to-air missile that is widely considered as an air defense weapon system supported by Russia.

Experts say that it operates as a kind of battery system like THAAD, and that detection radar must have been supported.

[Doo Jin-ho / Director of International Strategy Research at the Korea Institute of Defense] If you support air defense systems such as 300, integrating the radar function and supporting them in a package will have the effect of bringing air defense systems first, if not fighter jets.]

Shin Won-sik, head of the security office, went on to say that North Korea may send up to 4,000 additional operational troops as it recently supports long-range artillery that are not in Russia.

Regarding Russia's support for reconnaissance satellite technology, it has expressed its intention to support it since last year, adding that several other military technologies are entering North Korea.

While it has been confirmed that there are various types of give-and-take military cooperation between North Korea and Russia,

Shin Won-sik, head of the National Security Office, stressed that the government will decide on a step-by-step response by comprehensively considering solidarity with our value-sharing countries.

I'm Park Heejae of YTN.