South Korean spy agency releases photo of Hamas weapons with North Korean writing

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South Korean spy agency releases photo of Hamas weapons with North Korean writing

Published: 08 Jan. 2024, 17:18

A photo of North Korean F-7 RPG that is believed to have been supplied to North Korea. [NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SERVICE/YONHAP]

The South Korean spy agency released a photo of a weapon that was used by the Palestinian militant group Hamas with Korean writing on it.

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) on Monday released a photo of a North Korean-produced F-7 rocket supplied to Hamas.

The F-7 is an 84-millimeter rocket-propelled grenade (RPG).

The NIS said the fuse of the RPG had markings in Korean.

The NIS said it agrees with recent reports by foreign media that the Palestinian militant group is using North Korean-made weapons.

The South Korean intelligence agency’s latest photo was released after the Voice of America (VOA) on Jan. 5 reported that North Korean markings were found on weapons used by Hamas as well as the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

According to VOA, photos showed Korean markings on the F-7 RPG.

The VOA also obtained a photo of an engine fragment from a missile that was intercepted after the Houthi fired it toward Israel. The fragment had what appeared to be Korean writing.

North Korea is also accused of supplying weapons to Russia to use in its war against Ukraine.

Reuters reported recently that Russia was likely firing KN-23 and KN-25 short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) — the North Korean version of the Russian Iskander — into Ukraine.

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]