N. Korea-Hamas linkage, to what extent is it?

랜드연구소 브루스 베넷에게 묻다 북한-하마스 여러분야 연계, 어느 정도? Ever since the Hamas militants stormed Israeli towns on October 7th tension in the Middle East has been growing with the Israeli Prime Minister even saying that there will be no ceasefire and that it is a time for war. Amid such tensions, there has been intense scrutiny of North Korea’s linkage to militant non-state actors in the region, especially Hamas. North Korean weaponry was seen being used by Hamas and its so-called unconventional tactics too have been showing similarities to what North Korea has been using. How does an expert see the linkage between the two? And, is there any possibility that Pyongyang would use such tactics against South Korea? For more on this, we invited a very special guest. Bruce Bennett, Senior Defense Analyst at RAND Corporation. Welcome to the show, Doctor Bennett. Q1. 38 North pointed out the long history of North Korea supplying arms to militant non-state actors, including Hamas. Could you tell us more about this partnership? Q2. The evidence of such a long partnership has been seen in the current Israel-Hamas war. A number of North Korean weapons have been found among munitions seized from Hamas. Could you tell us more about this? Q3. Though it is remaining cautious, Iran warned Israel saying it had crossed red lines and that such action may force “everyone“ to act. If the war becomes extended, would North Korea take part in any way? Q4. When Hamas infiltrated Israel it did so in a surprise dawn attack, shattering Israel’s Iron Dome by firing a barrage of rockets and using drones. Many say such unconventional methods of infiltration show a similar pattern to North Korea. What’s your view on this? Q5. The use of paragliders and underground tunnels is also reported to have been transferred by North Korea. Is that the case? Q6. Officials from the Joint Chiefs of Staff already pointed out the possibility of North Korea using similar offensives against South Korea. What is the chance of this actually happening? Q7. Due to such concerns, South Korea is already re-evaluating its own ability to thwart a similar North Korean offensive. What measures should the country take or is it already capable enough to defend against such attacks? Q8. Due to worries over North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats, there were discussions about strengthening South Korea’s defensive posture and this led to President Yoon Suk Yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden’s Washington Declaration. But there were some voices saying the agreement was not detailed enough. What is your view on this? Q9. That being said, RAND and the Asan Institute for Policy Studies jointly came up with a report entitled Options for Strengthening Republic of Korea’s Nuclear Assurance. What are the options? Q10. Though there are options suggested by the institutes, the discussion over the need for the Republic of Korea to deploy tactical nuclear weapons could be brought up again, especially if North Korea’s threats intensify. What is your view on such a discussion? Q11. Right now, South Korea is taking quite a stern posture against North Korea with the defense minister himself urging for the need to suspend the September 19th inter-Korean military agreement. What’s your take on such a position, and what should the country’s diplomatic strategy be regarding tension on the peninsula? Unfortunately, that’s all the time we have for today’s edition. Thank you Mr. Bennet for your time and insights. We appreciate it. #NorthKorea #Hamas #Llinkage #Military #Arms #Tactics #하마스 #북한 #연계 #무기 #Arirang_News #아리랑뉴스 📣 Facebook : 📣 Twitter : 📣 Homepage : 2023-10-31, 18:30 (KST)