SEOUL, South Korea’s spy agency on Monday confirmed suspicions that North Korean-made weapons are being used by the Hamas militant group in its war with Israel despite Pyongyang’s repeated denial of its arms transactions.
Releasing a new photo of a North Korean rocket part, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) confirmed a Voice of America (VOA) report that Hamas fighters used an F-7 rocket-propelled grenade launcher manufactured in North Korea.
A photo included in the VOA report published Friday showed that the fuse of an F-7 grenade launcher, allegedly used by Hamas, had on it a combination of Korean characters and numbers, such as “??-7?” and “?8-80-53.”
Asked about the report, the NIS said its “assessment is the same as the VOA report.”
“The fuse with the Korean characters is located in the mid-section of the North Korean-made F-7 rocket,” the spy agency told Yonhap News Agency, while providing a photo of a disassembled F-7 grenade launcher.
In the photo disclosed by the NIS, the Korean characters
are not identifiable as they are placed on the interior of the fuse.
This photo, provided by the National Intelligence Service, South Korea’s spy agency, on Jan. 8, 2024, shows an F-7 rocket-propelled grenade launcher manufactured in North Korea suspected to have been used by the Hamas militant group. Korean characters are engraved inside of the fuse (in blue circle) of the grenade launcher. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
This photo, provided by the National Intelligence Service, South Korea’s spy agency, on Jan. 8, 2024, shows an F-7 rocket-propelled grenade launcher manufactured in North Korea suspected to have been used by the Hamas militant group. Korean characters are engraved inside of the fuse (in blue circle) of the grenade launcher. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
The spy agency also said it is “collecting and accumulating” detailed evidence of North Korea’s suspected supplies of its weapons to Hamas, such as trade volumes and the timing of arms trade.
“But it is currently difficult to provide such
evidence due to the need to protect information sources and in consideration of diplomatic ties,” the NIS said.
South Korea’s military earlier said North Korea appears to be linked to Hamas in the arms trade and other military fields, and could use military tactics similar to those used against Israel for a surprise attack on South Korea.
The NIS also reported during a parliamentary intelligence committee meeting in November that it has obtained intelligence that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ordered officials to come up with measures to provide comprehensive assistance to Palestine.
The F-7s, a type of high-explosive fragmentation rocket, seem to be another name for the RPG-7 produced in North Korea, a military official said.
North Korea has dismissed speculation that Hamas used North Korean weapons for attacks on Israel as “groundless,” accusing the United States of cooking up a false accusation against the North.
Meanwhile, in regard to North Korea’s suspected arms trade with Russia, the NIS said it
has been “consistently” tracking the issue in close cooperation with the United States and called on Pyongyang to “immediately” stop such transactions.
The White House said Thursday (local time) the North recently provided Russia with several dozen ballistic missiles and ballistic missile launchers, and that Moscow used some of the missiles in its latest attacks on Ukraine on Dec. 30 and Jan. 2.
“North Korea’s arms trade with Russia, such as ballistic missiles and artillery shells, violates United Nations Security Council resolutions, and seriously poses a threat to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula,” the NIS said.
Source: Yonhap News Agency