[News Today] NK-RUSSIA DEALS SATELLITE IMAGERY

[LEAD]
Recent satellite images have once again captured what appears to be illegal transactions between North Korea and Russia. At North Korea's Rajin Port, an unusual scene showed North Korea providing weapons to Russia while receiving oil in return.

[REPORT]
A satellite image of North Korea's Rajin Port taken by a private space technology company on July 12.

Russia's 120-meter-long ship, the Angara, is anchored in a dock at the center.

It is the vessel that was accused by the U.S. State Department last year as a carrier used in illegal arms transfers between Russia and North Korea.

With large containers loaded on the ship, hundreds of more containers are piled up in a yard by a crane in operation.

A South Korean government official says the cargo is believed to be military equipment and artillery ammunition North Korea sends to Russia.

In an adjacent dock, a 70-meter-long ship is moored alongside a cargo train.

A government official said that it appears to be a scene of a Russian train illegally providing oil to a North Korean oil tanker.

Jeong Seong-hak / Korea Institute for Security Strategy
It looks like a N. Korean oil tanker, which was frequently seen at Nampo Port. It is believed that it will move to Nampo Port after receiving Russian oil.

It is unusual that both North Korea and Russia were spotted exchanging weapons and oil simultaneously.

The day before this photo was taken, NATO denounced deepening cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow in its latest summit. But North Korea and Russia continued their illicit transactions.

Hyun Seung-soo/ Korea Institute for National Unification
N. Korea and Russia are seeking to increase the transfer of cargo from food to energy. It is highly likely that their illegal transactions will further increase.

Worries are rising that North Korea and Russia are further consolidating illegal cooperation, despite South Korea's warnings and international concerns.

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