700 km missile range signals North Korea's new drone and missile surge

North Korea has started mass-producing attack drones and upgrading its ballistic missile systems, according to a report by The New York Times. The newspaper states that these military advancements are the direct result of deepening cooperation with Russia. Moscow is transferring military developments to Pyongyang in exchange for soldiers, workers, and weapons.

The partnership between the two nations intensified after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Since then, North Korea has used Russian assistance to modernize its armed forces. Analyst Anton Ponomarenko noted that access to Russian deployment data and feedback has allowed Pyongyang to improve the accuracy and maneuverability of its weapons. He described the resulting threat to South Korea as more substantial than before.

In early October, North Korea tested a tactical ballistic missile that it claims can carry a nuclear payload. South Korea and Japan estimated the missile flew approximately 700 kilometers, while Pyongyang claimed a range of 1,000 kilometers. Seoul responded by test-firing its own hypersonic ballistic missile for the first time, five days after the North's launch. President Lee Jae Myung observed the test, which The New York Times characterized as a sign of growing unease in the South regarding North Korea's rapid technological progress.

Russian support also extends to the development of unmanned systems. The report indicates that Pyongyang has studied how inexpensive drones in Ukraine and the Middle East can overwhelm costly air defense systems. During a military drill last month, a North Korean drone swarm attacked a target island while cruise and ballistic missiles struck the same target from different directions simultaneously. The newspaper argues that these evolving tactics will force South Korea and its allies to redesign their air defenses at significant cost.

This reporting follows other recent accounts of the military partnership. Bloomberg reported in September that Russia is using North Korean citizens to produce military drones at facilities in Alabuga, Tatarstan. Up to 25,000 North Koreans are believed to be working at Russian military plants. Additionally, a North Korean missile forces unit, potentially equipped with 120 ballistic missiles and six launchers for strikes against Ukraine, has begun deploying in western Russia.

Earlier in 2026, North Korea announced tests of a modernized 240mm multiple-launch rocket system, a tactical ballistic missile, and a 155mm long-range artillery shell in June. In August, Russia requested that North Korea provide KN-30 ballistic missiles, further cementing the flow of equipment and personnel between the two countries.