Exploring North Korea's Global Military Partnerships and Alliances

Photo : AFP

North Korea is currently facing accusations of deploying thousands of troops to Russia, a move that could mark its first significant military engagement abroad since the Vietnam War. This situation raises concerns about the country’s historical military partnerships and collaborations around the globe.

Between 1966 and 1972, North Korea dispatched over 1,000 soldiers to North Vietnam, including a significant number of pilots who flew MiG-17s during combat. According to a 2017 publication by the South Korean defense ministry's Institute for Military History, these pilots contributed to shooting down at least 26 U.S. aircraft while losing 14 of their own during the Vietnam War. Additionally, North Korean psychological warfare experts were sent to assist Vietnam in propaganda efforts, while numerous Vietnamese guerrilla fighters received training in North Korea. However, relations between the two countries have deteriorated since Vietnam shifted towards the West and established diplomatic ties with South Korea in 1992.

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During the Yom Kippur War in 1973, North Korea sent approximately 1,500 military advisers along with around 40 air force personnel to assist Egypt, following a military assistance agreement between Kim Il Sung and President Hosni Mubarak. This collaboration was part of North Korea's broader strategy to support Arab nations against Israel.

North Korea also established military ties with Libya under Muammar Gaddafi, signing a 10-year alliance treaty in 1982, which included provisions for mutual military aid if either nation was attacked. A declassified CIA cable from 1982 suggested that North Korea might have intended to use Libya as a strategic location for its military operations, involving training of Libyan pilots and planning for nuclear weapons development.

Syria has been a long-standing ally of North Korea, particularly in missile and chemical weapons development. North Korea constructed a plutonium reactor in Syria, which was later destroyed by an Israeli airstrike in 2007. Reports from 2013 indicated that North Korean military personnel, including helicopter pilots and artillery officers, were active in Syria, although North Korea denied these claims. By 2016, Russian media reported that North Korean military units were involved in Syria's civil conflict, supporting President Bashar al-Assad.

Both North Korea and Iran are under U.N. sanctions and have been suspected of collaborating on nuclear and ballistic missile projects. In 2015, reports emerged of North Korean nuclear experts visiting Iranian military sites to exchange knowledge and technical components. U.N. monitors in 2021 noted that both nations had resumed cooperation in developing long-range missile systems, further complicating their relationship with the international community. Additionally, North Korea has faced allegations of supplying weaponry to Iranian-affiliated groups, including Hamas, although Pyongyang has denied these claims.

Historically, North Korea has engaged with various authoritarian regimes in Africa, including Zimbabwe and Uganda, since the Cold War. The country has been involved in arms sales and military training across the continent. A South Korean lawmaker revealed that between 1999 and 2008, North Korea held over 100 rounds of arms sales discussions with nations like Angola and Tanzania. These transactions were aimed at generating revenue to procure newer weapons from Russia while offloading older, less expensive military equipment. However, relationships with many African nations have weakened in recent years due to stricter U.N. sanctions, leading countries like Botswana to sever ties and Uganda to suspend security exchanges.

In summary, North Korea’s military history reveals a pattern of alliances with various nations, driven by geopolitical interests and mutual defense strategies. As it seeks to engage with Russia, the implications of these past partnerships may influence future military and diplomatic dynamics on the global stage.

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