Zelensky says Russia appears to have shared jet-drone technology with North Korea
Version 2: An additional Korean outlet, Newsis, reported the possibility of a large-scale transfer of jet-drone technology to North Korea, while the core claim still rests on Zelensky’s remarks and no additional government confirmation was reported.
In short
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia appears to have shared jet-propelled drone technology with North Korea, telling reporters “they share all technologies with North Korea”. He said North Korean soldiers captured by Ukraine had received training in drone operation and electronic warfare, and that information about them was shared with Japan. Yonhap reported he also said South Korea had asked for captured North Korean soldiers to be handed over, while Reuters noted he did not directly mention President Lee Jae-myung’s protest over a breached confidentiality agreement.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia appears to have shared jet-propelled drone technology with North Korea, according to Yonhap and a Chosun Ilbo headline and summary. Asked by reporters whether Russia had transferred such technology to the North, Zelensky answered “yes, of course,” Yonhap reported, citing Reuters. “They share all technologies with North Korea,” he said. [ 1 , 2 ]
Zelensky said he did not know exactly which technologies had been shared, but said he believed sharing was taking place because North Korea had helped Russia with missiles, Yonhap reported. Ukrainian outlets including Suspline broadcast reported his exchange with reporters in more detail, according to the same report. [ 1 ]
On the North Korean soldiers Ukraine captured, Zelensky said they were not the same North Koreans who first arrived in Russia, and that they had received shared experience and training, including in drone operation and in how to respond to electronic warfare systems. He said the acquisition of such combat knowledge and experience is very dangerous. [ 1 ]
Zelensky said information about North Korean troops had been shared with Japan, arguing that Japan has excellent technology but lacks experience in conducting modern warfare, which he called a very dangerous factor. He said that if Russia trains 50,000 North Korean soldiers to fight, that means knowledge is shared with hundreds of thousands of North Korean troops, and that cooperation between Ukraine and Japan is important and serves both sides’ interests. [ 1 ]
Asked about the controversy after he disclosed that North Korean soldiers held in Ukraine had been sent to South Korea, Zelensky said South Korea had requested the handover of the North Korean soldiers and that under South Korea’s constitution they are also South Koreans, Yonhap reported. Reuters noted that he did not directly mention that South Korean President Lee Jae-myung had protested that Ukraine violated an agreement to keep the prisoner repatriation confidential. [ 1 ]
Chosun Ilbo’s coverage of the same subject was limited to a headline and a one-line summary stating that Russia shares all new drone technology, including jet engines, with North Korea. Newsis, publishing two days after Yonhap’s report, carried a headline about the possibility of a large-scale transfer of jet-drone technology to North Korea, although the text of its article dealt with an unrelated financial-sector hacking incident. [ 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The remarks describe military technology and combat-experience sharing between Russia and North Korea, which Zelensky cast as dangerous and as a reason for cooperation with Japan. The claim also touches South Korea directly through the dispute over captured North Korean soldiers. The documents contain no response from Russia, North Korea, South Korea or Japan, so the practical consequences remain unverified.
Key facts
- Zelensky told reporters that Russia shares all technology with North Korea, answering “yes, of course” when asked about jet-propelled drone technology transfer. [ 1 , 2 ]
- He said he did not know exactly which technologies had been shared but believed sharing was taking place because North Korea had helped Russia with missiles. [ 1 ]
- He said North Korean soldiers captured by Ukraine were not the same as those who first arrived in Russia and had received training including drone operation and how to respond to electronic warfare. [ 1 ]
- He said information about North Korean troops had been shared with Japan. [ 1 ]
- He said that if Russia trains 50,000 North Korean soldiers to fight, the knowledge is shared with hundreds of thousands of North Korean troops. [ 1 ]
- He said South Korea had asked for North Korean soldiers to be handed over, adding that under South Korea’s constitution they are also South Koreans. [ 1 ]
- Newsis reported the possibility that Russia transferred jet-drone technology to North Korea on a large scale. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Whether Russia actually transferred jet-propelled drone technology to North Korea This rests on Zelensky’s statement to reporters; he said he did not know exactly which technologies had been shared, and the documents carry no confirmation or denial from Russia or North Korea.
- The scale of any technology transfer Newsis’s headline refers to a large-scale transfer, while Zelensky gave no figures for any such transfer and said he did not know which technologies were shared.
- The dispute over captured North Korean soldiers and South Korea’s request for their handover Reported by a single outlet in this set, based on Zelensky’s own account; the documents contain no comment from the South Korean government, and Reuters noted Zelensky did not directly address Lee Jae-myung’s protest.
- What Russia, North Korea, South Korea or Japan say about the technology-sharing claim None of the documents include a response from any of those governments.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Yonhap publishes its report on Zelensky’s remarks to reporters. [ 1 ]
- Chosun Ilbo publishes a headline and one-line summary on Russia sharing drone technology with North Korea. [ 2 ]
- Newsis publishes a headline on the possibility of a large-scale transfer of jet-drone technology to North Korea. [ 3 ]