Kyiv’s imports of DPRK cars, textiles and electronics raise questions about misreporting and smuggling amid Ukraine war
Kim Jong Un in front of a wheeled Hwasong-11B (KN-24) TEL at the presumed Sinhung Machine Factory and a Ukrainian customs patch | Images: KCNA (Aug. 14, 2023), Ukrainian customs agency, edited by NK Pro
When North Korea backed Russia’s invasion in 2022, Ukraine was quick to sever diplomatic relations with Pyongyang, denouncing its recognition of breakaway republics under Moscow’s control.
But despite this move and increasing DPRK military support for Russia’s war, a trickle of North Korean goods — including sanctioned computer parts, machinery and cars — have continued to make their way into Ukraine in recent years, NK Pro analysis shows.
Bilateral trade has plummeted since the start of the pandemic, but Seoul assessed that Ukraine’s trade with the DPRK stood at nearly $30,000 in 2023, with Kyiv reportedly
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