US: N. Korea is emerging from isolation while cooperating with Russia

U.S. intelligence officials have assessed that North Korea has emerged from isolation by UN economic sanctions and the COVID-19 shutdown by strengthening military cooperation with Russia. This effectively acknowledges that the effectiveness of sanctions against North Korea has significantly grown weaker.

According to the ‘2024 Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community’ report released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which oversees 18 U.S. intelligence agencies, on Monday (local time), North Korea has emerged from its deepest period of isolation in 20 years, resulting from harsh UN sanctions and the pandemic shutdown.

It pointed out that the country is strengthening relations with China and Russia for financial and foreign relations support as well as military cooperation, saying, "Kim almost certainly has no intentions of negotiating away his nuclear program. Kim probably hopes that he can use his bourgeoning defense ties with Russia to pursue his goal of achieving international acceptance as a nuclear power."

Such views appeared for the first time in this year's report and reflect the U.S. concerns about North Korea-Russia cooperation. Korea’s National Intelligence Service also assessed that North Korea would have requested technology related to submarines, submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), and military reconnaissance satellites in return for supporting conventional weapons to Russia.

The report also pointed out that Kim is likely to conduct aggressive actions regularly and that North Korea has been preparing to resume nuclear tests at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site since mid-2022.

China was cited as the biggest threat to the United States, same as last year, on the grounds that the country could transform into a more aggressive and unpredictable actor due to population decline and economic difficulties. The report also viewed Russia's recent strengthening of relations with China, Iran, and North Korea as a significant challenge to the West, including the United States.


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