The report details the deepening military cooperation between North Korea and Russia and calls for UN sanctions against individuals, entities, and vessels involved in this activity.
The Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) has published its first report, revealing the extent of military support North Korea is providing to Russia in violation of UN sanctions and its use in attacks against Ukrainian civilian infrastructure.
The MSMT was established in October last year by 11 allied countries after Russia forced the dissolution of the UN expert panel that was charged with monitoring compliance with UN sanctions against North Korea over its nuclear and missile programmes.
In its first meeting held in February, the MSMT – representing Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Korea, the UK, and the US – reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring the full implementation of the UN sanctions against North Korea and upholding international peace and security.
The new report details the deepening military cooperation between North Korea and Russia – including transfers of artillery, ballistic missiles, and combat vehicles to Russia for use against Ukraine. Russia has also shipped air defence systems to North Korea, and refined petroleum products in quantities exceeding the UN-mandated cap, it says.
The report says many of these shipments between North Korea and Russia are done using vessels that operate with their tracking systems off and without recorded insurance cover, indicating deceptive shipping practices.
In addition, over 11,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to Russia since October 2024 to directly support Russia’s war efforts. These troops are receiving training from Russian forces in artillery, UAV operation, and basic infantry tactics, according to the report.
The report says all these activities violate several UNSC resolutions, and that Russia and North Korea have also actively engaged in financial transactions using ruble accounts.
Russia is facilitating North Korea’s evasion of UN sanctions and Financial Action Task Force (FATF) requirements by allowing North Korea to make payments through UN-designated Foreign Trade Bank of Korea (FTB) and Korea Kwangson Banking Corporation, using accounts set up at MRB Bank in Georgia’s South Ossetia region, the report says.
MRB Bank has been sanctioned by Japan, the US, and South Korea for its involvement in illicit financial transactions with North Korea.
The MSMT report concludes with recommendations for the international community, including raising awareness of DPRK sanctions evasion, examining individuals and entities involved in sanctions evasion, and strengthening monitoring and prevention efforts.
It calls for additional work at the UNSC to designate additional individuals, entities, and vessels that engage in DPRK-related sanctions evasion. Several of these targets are named – including a Slovakian national who was sanctioned by the US in March 2023, two Russian nationals and three Russian entities sanctioned in May 2024, and four Russia-flagged vessels which are already on various sanctions lists at the country level.
“The report will assist with the full implementation of UN sanctions by the international community,” says a joint statement from the 11 MSMT member countries. “With the release of the first MSMT report, we underscore once again our shared determination to fully implement relevant UNSCRs.”
“We urge the DPRK to engage in meaningful diplomacy, and call on all states to join global efforts to maintain international peace and security in the face of ongoing threats from the DPRK and those that facilitate its illicit activities in contravention of relevant UNSCRs,” the statement says.
“We will continue our efforts to monitor the implementation of UNSCRs on the DPRK and raise awareness of ongoing attempts to violate and evade UN sanctions.”