The confirmation aligns with a Voice of America (VOA) report that featured an image of a fuse from a North Korean-made F-7 rocket-propelled grenade launcher, allegedly used by Hamas, bearing Korean characters and numbers.
The NIS indicated that their assessment matches the findings presented in the VOA report. "The detonator with Korean characters is located in the center of a North Korean F-7 missile," the NIS told Yonhap Agency, sharing a photo of the dismantled grenade launcher. "Our assessment is the same as the VOA report," NIS confirmed.
Further investigations by the NIS are underway to gather detailed evidence on the alleged arms shipments from North Korea to Hamas, including their size and timing. However, the NIS noted that providing such evidence is currently challenging due to the need to protect sources of information and considering diplomatic relationships.
The South Korean military has previously reported potential ties between North Korea's military and Hamas in the arms trade. In November, the NIS reported to a parliamentary intelligence committee that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had ordered officials to develop strategies for providing comprehensive support to Palestine.
This confirmation of North Korea's arms supply to Hamas comes amid reports of North Korea's involvement in supplying weapons to Russia, which have been used in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The US State Department has stated that North Korea-made weapons were likely transferred to Hamas via intermediaries, despite North Korea's denials of any arms transactions.
Source: Polskie Radio
