Profits in the billions: Putin stimulates North Korea's economy. Selling ammunition to Russia could bring hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars into Kim's treasury.
Since August 2023, North Korea has made ten arms transfers to Russia, according to South Korean intelligence. If North Korea were to sell grenades at a price of $1,000 each, the amount purchased would correspond to around ten percent of North Korean's gross domestic product. But macroeconomist Anwita Basu has doubts that the population will benefit from the arms deal in the long term.