North Korea has tested the Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile, which could reach the United States. On the same day, China, through its head of diplomacy, Wang Yi, assured that it would continue to provide “strong support” to Pyongyang, having previously had no qualms about condemning the Kim dynasty’s nuclear tests. The same thing happened on Moscow’s side until 2017, but now the head of Russia’s General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, has confirmed that his country has begun to maintain a deeper level of relationship with that pariah state, saying that there is “comprehensive cooperation” on the field of Defense.

These developments have consequences both in the Asia-Pacific region and in the war in Ukraine. In Washington there are those who combine Iran with the above-mentioned countries and talk about the CRINKS as a group of autocratic and dictatorial countries.

North Korea is showing its teeth again. Following the Kim Jong Un regime’s 27th weapons test this year, the North Korean leader himself warned that he will not hesitate to use nuclear weapons if he is “provoked” with the same type of weapons. A variation on the nuclear doctrine adopted last year, according to which the totalitarian regime claims the right to carry out preventive nuclear strikes. Hours after Kim’s threat, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that a North Korean nuclear reactor had been put into service.

This news comes in parallel with the confirmation that “active and comprehensive cooperation” has been established between Russia and North Korea, Gerasimov confirmed in a speech addressed to foreign military attachés. In unison with Russia, Pyongyang announced through the KNCA news agency that it considers the group of richest countries, the G7, a “club of thieves” as it analyzes the possibility of reallocating the $300 billion frozen from Russian accounts to to support Ukraine. . The day before, Russian Minister Sergei Lavrov had called the German government a “bunch of thieves” for the same reason. A topic that Moscow raised again, this time through the voice of Deputy MNE, Sergei Ryabkov, by threatening to cut ties with the US if the money was funneled to Kiev.

The rapprochement between North Korea and Russia is seen as a marriage of convenience: Pyongyang has ammunition and artillery and Moscow can provide fuel, grain and technology. US Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith said on Thursday that more than a thousand containers of ammunition and weapons have arrived in Russia from the Korean Peninsula, after Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu made a rare visit to Pyongyang in July and in September Kim visited the Russian Far East, where he was exposed to Russian space and military capabilities and met with his counterpart Vladimir Putin.

Japan responds

Japan will produce long-range missiles, up to three thousand kilometers, while so far it has projectiles with a range of up to a thousand kilometers. The decision was taken in order to carry out ‘counter-attacks’ in enemy territory, the Japanese government revealed when it announced record defense spending for 2024 of more than 49 billion euros. It is also budgeted to build two ships for the Self-Defense Forces, equipped with a new missile system using North American Aegis technology.

The budget, which will still go through parliamentary scrutiny, represents an increase of 13% compared to the current budget year, which in turn had already increased by 26.3% compared to 2022, and brings military expenditure closer to the target . GDP IB.

After its defeat in World War II, Japan adopted a pacifist constitution. Although in practice Tokyo eventually established a military force in all but name, restrictions such as those on the export of arms and ammunition remain in place, although the total ban was repealed in 2014. Given Ukraine’s difficulties in obtaining military aid, the Japanese government has changed the rules. Because the ban on the export of weapons to countries at war remains in effect, the restriction is being circumvented by transferring weapons and ammunition to countries that hold the original licenses.

Until now, Tokyo only allowed shipment of device parts to the country of origin of the production license, but it is now possible to ship products in their entirety. The US will receive missiles for the Patriot air defense system and will therefore provide Kiev with a similar projectile manufactured domestically; and a similar arrangement should apply to the United Kingdom and 155mm caliber ammunition.

The Ukrainian military has already publicly acknowledged that given the shortage of weapons and ammunition – in addition to the difficulties in recruiting sufficient soldiers – military operations would be limited and, as a result, adopt a mainly defensive posture.

Another news welcomed in Ukraine was the revelation by the outgoing Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, that the first F-16 fighter jets will be sent once an export license has been issued and that infrastructure and personnel related to the aviation operation will be sent. are in place. . Rutte said the first batch will consist of 18 aircraft out of a total of 42 that The Hague will deliver. In addition to the Netherlands, Denmark has committed to contributing 19 F-16s; Norway and Belgium have not communicated the number of aircraft to be delivered.

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