Washington — 

Analysts stated that the revelation of a North Korean missile, containing over 200 parts from American and European manufacturers, in Ukraine exposed flaws in the sanctions system that North Korea exploits to avoid repercussions.

On Monday, South Korean Defense Minister Shin Wonsik stated that North Korea is producing weapons at maximum capacity in order to provide Russia with the necessary supplies for their fight against Ukraine.

According to South Korean media, Shin reported that approximately 6,700 containers have been sent from Pyongyang to Russia since September.

The United States’ estimate states that North Korea has provided over 10,000 shipments of munitions or materials related to munitions to Russia since September.

On Friday, the United States revealed its projections and imposed sanctions on over 500 people and groups in Russia.

The Security Service of Ukraine has reported that North Korean weapons have been found on the battlefield in Ukraine since December. On Thursday, they stated that Russia has launched at least 20 North Korean missiles into Ukraine, resulting in the death or injury of civilians.

During a Jan. 26 press conference, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova refuted claims of military or technical collaboration with North Korea.

VOA reached out to the North Korean delegation at the United Nations headquarters in New York City for a statement, but did not receive a reply.

CAR’s report, which was initially shared by CNN on February 20, revealed that a missile found in Kharkiv, the second-largest city in Ukraine, was constructed using parts from American and European organizations.

According to the CAR report, approximately 75% of the 290 components of the North Korean missile were traced back to companies based in the U.S. Meanwhile, 16% of the components were attributed to companies in Europe.

According to the report, the majority of the pieces used to make the missile were created between 2021 and 2023. The report also stated that the missile could not have been manufactured prior to March 2023. However, the report did not disclose the names of the companies involved in the production.

Since the passage of Resolution 1718 by the Security Council in 2006, U.N. member countries are prohibited from exporting materials and technologies that could potentially aid North Korea in the production of ballistic missiles.

According to experts, American companies whose components were used in the North Korean missile likely were unaware of the final recipient.

According to Aaron Arnold, a previous member of the U.N. Panel of Experts on North Korea’s sanctions, these findings demonstrate the potential weaknesses in Western export control systems.

Arnold, presently a senior associate at the Centre for Financial Crime and Security Studies at the Royal United Service Institute, mentioned in an email to VOA on Friday that certain items included in the North Korean missile can be utilized for both weapons and commercial purposes.

Arnold explained that it is uncertain in this specific situation, but some of the micro-electronics have dual functionality and may be commonly used in other commercial purposes. He also noted that certain Western micro-electronics, such as those found in Russian drones, are also utilized in refrigerators.

On Monday, Bruce Klingner, a senior researcher for Northeast Asia at the Heritage Foundation, sent an email to VOA stating that instead of dual-use items, efforts for enforcing sanctions should prioritize more significant components.

According to the CAR report, the missile from North Korea contained electronic components that were not created domestically.

Rewritten: Arnold and other professionals noted that North Korea’s strategy of utilizing other nations to smuggle prohibited items poses a challenge in detecting the transfer of components into the country. However, they suggest utilizing established supply chains to trace the origin of the components back to identify any intermediaries involved.

During a phone conversation with VOA on Friday, Anthony Ruggiero, a senior fellow and expert on sanctions at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, mentioned that one of the major difficulties lies in targeting those who aid in evading North Korean sanctions.

He went on to say, “Countries like China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran are skilled at evading sanctions imposed by the U.N. and U.S. They are clever enough not to directly involve themselves and avoid giving the impression that it is Russia, North Korea, Iran, or China attempting to purchase these goods. One of the obstacles is uncovering their tactics.”

According to an email from Joshua Stanton, a lawyer from Washington who played a role in creating the Sanctions and Policy Enforcement Act of 2016, these findings could be a chance for the Commerce Department to track North Korea’s purchasing networks starting from individual pieces and ending with their supply chain, and to add intermediaries to its list of regulated entities.

Source: voanews.com