Participation in the war against Ukraine has become one of the largest sources of income for North Korea in recent years. According to the Japanese agency Nikkei and the research institute of the National Intelligence Service of South Korea, Pyongyang could have earned between $7 billion and $13.8 billion from cooperation with Russia solely on arms supplies. This primarily concerns rocket artillery and approximately 250 KN-23 ballistic missiles, which analysts believe were transferred to Russia. Additionally, experts believe that Moscow could have paid over $600 million for the participation of North Korean soldiers in combat operations. Against this backdrop, North Korea's economy showed a growth of 3.7% in 2024 — the best result in many years, according to data from the Bank of Korea. It is important to understand that for the isolated North Korean economy, even a few billion dollars is an enormous sum. Essentially, the war in Ukraine has become not only a political but also an economic project for Pyongyang. The transfer of North Korean troops to Russia became known in the fall of 2024. At that time, Moscow and Pyongyang officially confirmed the participation of North Korean soldiers in battles against the Ukrainian army in the Kursk region. Exact data on the losses of the North Korean contingent has not been disclosed. However, indirect estimates suggest that the number of fatalities may exceed two thousand people. It is assumed that more than 10,000 North Korean soldiers were sent to Russia in total. Part of the contingent is reportedly still on Russian territory, although there have been no recent reports of direct participation in battles. At the same time, North Korea continues to supply weapons and ammunition to the Russian army. In the West and South Korea, it is believed that cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang in the military sphere continues to expand. Amid this, concerns are growing that Russia may provide North Korea with technologies and resources, including military developments, in exchange.