In its inaugural report, the Multinational Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) said, "Since [North Korea] began supplying Russia with ammunition in early September 2023, it has transferred over 20,000 containers of munitions and related materiel to Russia in support of its war against Ukraine."
The report detailed North Korea's violations of UN sanctions amid its deepening military ties with Moscow in recent years.
"Since November 2024, Russia is believed to have provided North Korea with short-range air defense systems and advanced electronic warfare systems including jamming equipment using Russian cargo aircraft, and also transferred operational knowledge," in return for North Korea's troop deployment to Moscow, the report wrote.
Other violations also included the illegal supply of refined petroleum products, the dispatch of laborers overseas, and suspicious financial transactions. The report further explained, "North Korea sought visas for 8,000 workers to Russia in 2024. North Korea is planning to send thousands more laborers in the first half of 2025 to work in the construction and forestry sectors in Russia."
The MSMT was launched in October last year to replace the UN Panel of Experts on North Korea sanctions after it was disbanded due to Russia's veto.
In a joint statement with about a dozen countries including Australia, Japan, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Korea, the U.K., and the U.S., the multinational body reaffirmed its commitment to "maintain international peace and security in the face of ongoing threats from [North Korea] and those that facilitate its illicit activities" in contravention of relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs.)"
"We will continue our efforts to monitor the implementation of UNSCRs on [North Korea] and raise awareness of ongoing attempts to violate and evade UN sanctions."
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