NK appears to be linked to Hamas in arms trade, other military areas: JCS
Israeli Iron Dome air defense system fires to intercept a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip, in Ashkelon, Israel, Oct.14. AP-Yonhap
North Korea appears to be linked to the Hamas militant group in the arms trade and other military fields, and could use tactics similar to those used against Israel for a surprise attack on South Korea, a senior official at Seoul's military said Tuesday.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) made the assessment after analyzing Hamas' unprecedented attacks on Oct. 7, which blindsided Israel by firing over 5,000 rockets to bypass its Iron Dome defense system, paralyzing the early warning system and breaching the Israeli border with paragliders in the early stage of the conflict.
"Hamas is believed to be directly or indirectly linked to North Korea in various areas, such as the weapons trade, tactical guidance and training. There is a possibility that North Korea could use Hamas' attack methods for a surprise invasion of South Korea," a senior JCS official told reporters on background, asking not to be named.
Radio Free Asia, a Washington-based media outlet, earlier reported on the suspected use of North Korean weapons by Hamas fighters, citing a video featuring one of the fighters holding what resembles an F-7 rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launcher manufactured in the North.
North Korea's arms deals with Hamas, Hezbollah pose common threat to South Korea, Israel 2023-10-12 16:52 | North KoreaThe military official said the F-7s, a type of high-explosive fragmentation rocket, appear to be another name for the RPG-7 produced in North Korea, without specifying whether they were provided directly to Hamas or through transactions involving other countries.
The JCS assumed the 122 mm artillery shells found near the Israeli border were exported from North Korea, considering they had the marking "Bang-122," the same as ammunition used in North Korea's artillery attacks.
"This suggests that North Korea continues to export various weapons to Middle Eastern countries and armed groups," the official said.
Pyongyang has denied allegations that its weapons were used by Hamas in the attack against Israel as "a groundless and false rumor," saying the claim was part of Washington's bid to divert the blame for the conflict from itself.
Hamas' infiltration into the Israeli territory through unconventional means, such as paragliders and drones, showed similar patterns employed by the North in the past, the JCS official said, raising speculation over Pyongyang's links to the Palestinian militant group.
As South Korea has deployed an advanced border surveillance system on front-line troops over the past decade, Pyongyang has bolstered training for airborne infiltration using paragliders.
In December 2016, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un publicly guided the demonstration of the paragliders targeting the then presidential compound Cheong Wa Dae, speculating that the North may have passed on infiltration tactics to Hamas.
Learning lessons from the conflict in the Middle East, the JCS vowed to step up coordination with the United States to effectively operate the combined surveillance assets to detect unusual signs from the North and bolster defense capabilities against its long-range artillery and drone strikes. (Yonhap)
(责任编辑:新闻中心)
-
Which is Faster for Gaming, Windows 10 or Windows 11?
Which is faster for gaming, Windows 10 or Windows 11? That's a question we've noticed people has kep ...[详细] -
What Jane Mayer gets wrong about Al Franken.
Recently in Politics White Nationalism’s Most Famous Young Escapee Has A ...[详细] -
Dembele ends speculation by sticking with Barca
BARCELONA:French international winger Ousmane Dembele, whose contract with Barcelona expired last mo ...[详细] -
与鱼仔鳜相比,饲料鳜更省钱、省地、省力?_鳜鱼;桂花鱼;饲料鳜;鱼仔鳜;_南方+_南方plus鳜鱼,又称桂花鱼,苏轼“桃花流水鳜鱼肥”说的就是它。鳜鱼天生以活饵为食,相对于以投喂人工饲料为养殖方式的“ ...[详细]
-
Echo Dot (5th gen) deal — get it for $29.99 at Amazon
GET $20 OFF:As of Aug. 23, you can get an Echo Dot (5th gen) for $29.99 at Amazon, down from $49.99. ...[详细] -
It's been a big year for everyone, including the tenacious robot that's been traversing the rocky hi ...[详细]
-
Trump's 'Four Seasons' debacle brought out all the Yelp comedians
You might've missed it in the midst of Saturday's revelry, but the Donald Trump campaign pulled some ...[详细] -
Dembele ends speculation by sticking with Barca
BARCELONA:French international winger Ousmane Dembele, whose contract with Barcelona expired last mo ...[详细] -
“大体老师”是解剖医生对遗体捐献者的尊称。称为老师,意为捐献者用自己的身体为医学、科学作出了贡献。红十字会在人体器官捐献工作中的职责主要包括开展人体器官捐献的宣传动员、意愿登记、捐献见证、缅怀纪念、人 ...[详细]
-
US soldier who defected to North Korea dies
By Park Si-sooThis file photo taken on October 12, 2005 shows U.S. army deserter Charles Jenkins, wh ...[详细]
Ruling bloc divided on foreign nannies' pay
How many of Trump's social media posts were flagged since Election Day
- 11 Places to See Tiny Trains
- WhatsApp now has disappearing messages, but there's a catch
- After ban, new 'Stop the Steal' Groups spread conspiracy theories on Facebook
- WhatsApp now has disappearing messages, but there's a catch
- Aricell CEO arrested in first case under industrial accidents law
- Election Day is providing a lot of context for no
- It's Time to Reinvent the Digital Pen