It is not inconceivable that Russia might eventually import cheap drones from North Korea.

According to sources within North Korea, Kim Jong Un, as part of a secret agreement with Russia, plans to dispatch approximately 10,000 members of the Korean People's Army to Russian military drone production facilities as labor, starting around March of this year.

At first glance, one might assume that Russia is seeking to supplement its labor force in military production, which has been depleted by war, while North Korea aims to earn foreign currency.

However, the South Korean government and its citizens need to carefully consider this matter. North Korea always aims for more than just a single benefit; it seeks multiple advantages (not just one stone for two birds, but for three or four).

Earning Foreign Currency and Acquiring Drone Technology

This time, North Korea has devised a plan to dispatch military laborers to Russia, not only to strengthen its relationship with Russia but also to earn foreign currency.

The most crucial objective is to acquire Russia's modern drone production technology for free and to train a team of drone production technicians within a short period, with 100% certainty. This is a fundamental goal.

Once the soldiers dispatched to Russia's drone production facilities have fully acquired the drone production technology, they will be withdrawn through a rotation of labor. North Korea will then be able to commence mass production of modern drones the very next day.

I myself have managed factories abroad with hundreds of North Korean workers. North Koreans are inherently talented at acquiring advanced technology. South Korea is well aware of how quickly North Korean workers learn advanced technology through the operation of the Kaesong Industrial Complex.

Given that the Korean people are naturally intelligent and that these young North Koreans possess strong loyalty, it will be sufficient for them to infiltrate various fields and acquire drone production technologies within six months.

A Single Kamikaze Drone Can Neutralize an Expensive Fighter Jet

Furthermore, the foreign currency earned by approximately 10,000 North Korean soldiers through their labor will not be a negligible amount. North Korea will use this foreign currency to continuously purchase the necessary equipment and raw materials for drone production locally in Russia.

This will benefit Russia by keeping its foreign currency within the country, and North Korea will become a drone production powerhouse without suffering from a foreign currency shortage. It is not inconceivable that Russia might eventually import cheap drones from North Korea.

I am not writing this article to praise North Korean workers or to predict North Korea's future. As you can see, despite its poverty, North Korea is producing long-range nuclear missiles, and now it is preparing to produce millions of modern military drones that could cover the skies of South Korea.

Yet, South Korea is reducing its military strength and is even reportedly dismantling its existing drone command in response to a single remark from North Korea's Kim Yo-jong. This is deeply disheartening, which is why I am writing this. While North Korea is sharpening its swords during an armistice between the North and South, the South is dismantling its defenses. How can this be considered normal?

South Korean citizens are congratulating themselves on exporting aircraft, tanks, and Hyunmu missiles, but this is not the time for self-congratulation.

North Korea, which claimed it did not have the capability to build nuclear weapons and would not build them, has now become a nuclear power. [Photo=Tongil News]

Future warfare will be the era of drones. Imagine South Korea's expensive tanks and aircraft, each costing tens of millions of dollars, facing hundreds of thousands of low-cost, disposable kamikaze drones that North Korea will produce. We must also prepare for night combat against kamikaze drones equipped with infrared sensors.

The importance and danger of drones have already been proven in the Russia-Ukraine war. Moreover, North Korean soldiers have practical experience in modern warfare using drones on the front lines of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Because they understand the importance of drones, Kim Jong Un is currently preparing for their mass production.

I simply hope that the South Korean government and its citizens will never overlook this issue. Do not forget that you were deceived by the lies of those who claimed, "North Korea does not have the capability to build nuclear weapons and will not build them."

◆ Advisor Kim Tae-san

Advisor to The Hankyoreh; former representative of a North Korean trading company in the Czech Republic. In South Korea, he has worked as the deputy director of the North Korean Society Research Institute, offering deep insights and experience regarding inter-Korean relations and North Korean issues.