Kim Jong Un touts North Korea’s new tanks amid ongoing weapons modernization, raising speculation that Pyongyang could supply prototype armor to Russia as part of broader military support in Ukraine.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited a tank factory on Sunday and told state media that efforts are being made to develop the country’s weapons system. Kim said that advanced tanks and other armored vehicles were a key component of North Korea’s modernization efforts, which were required due to U.S. security agreements with South Korea and Japan.
Though North Korea has a massive arsenal of more than 3,500 tanks, along with significant numbers of other armored vehicles, the majority is believed to date to the Cold War, putting into question their effectiveness. Russia’s use of older tanks, including the T-62 and T-54/55 series tanks, in the ongoing fighting in Ukraine hasn’t delivered any significant breakthrough. The tanks have been vulnerable to various threats.
Upgrading Pyongyang’s tanks and other conventional weapons has received as much attention as North Korea’s nuclear and missile capabilities.
“The building of the strongest offensive and defensive power capable of overwhelmingly suppressing any form of military threat posed by the U.S. arms buildup directly aiming at the DPRK [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea] is the best option for deterring the danger of the outbreak of a nuclear war and ensuring the balance of strength on the Korean peninsula,” a North Korean military analyst told state media outlet KCNA, per Newsweek.
Last year, Kim attended North Korean military exercises to see the country’s new “M2020” main battle tank (MBT). It was reportedly equipped with composite armor and a 125mm main gun, and Kim suggested it was one of the world’s most powerful tanks.
The tank was first spotted in a military parade in 2020, and its appearance at a military drill in 2020 may indicate its development has continued.
As previously reported, it may be based on the Soviet-era T-62, which is almost to be expected as Pyongyang has a long history of upgrading older models. As of last year, around nine prototypes had been produced, but it is unclear if additional tanks have since been manufactured.
Could the North Korean Tanks End Up in Ukraine?
North Korea has acknowledged that it has sent troops to fight in the aforementioned war in Ukraine and has continued to supply the Kremlin with military hardware. However, its arms industry isn’t quite as robust as that of its southern neighbor, North Korea, which has been supplying weapons to Russia.
That fact highlights both the strides Pyongyang has made with its domestic military capabilities and the Kremlin’s desperation.
The aid has included significant quantities of artillery shells, anti-tank missiles, portable surface-to-air missiles, and even armored vehicles. Among the armored vehicles is the Bulsae-4 M-2018, a self-propelled long-range anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) mobile launcher based on the chassis of the M-2010 APC.
The vehicle was spotted near Kharkiv last August.
“(The Bulsae-4) is powered by a gutsy diesel engine which, combined with its unusual wheel layout, gives it relatively good cross-country and rough terrain capability. It is said to have a maximum road speed of approximately 90 kph (55 mph) and an operational range of around 500 kilometers (310 miles),” explained Steve Brown, a retired British Army officer writing for The Kyiv Post.
Earlier this year, reports also surfaced that around fifty Koksan M1989 self-propelled howitzers and nearly two dozen 240mm multiple-launch rocket systems had been spotted in Ukraine.
While no North Korean tanks have been spotted on the front so far, Kim could send a few prototypes to get some real-world feedback!
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a thirty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons/ Kremlin.ru.
