South Korean Intel Confirms North Korean Weapons Used by Hamas

By Yoni Weiss

The South Korean National Intelligence Service (NIS) has confirmed suspicions regarding the utilization of North Korean-manufactured weaponry by the Hamas terrorist group amid its ongoing war against Israel.

Despite consistent denials from North Korea concerning arms dealings, the NIS recently unveiled a photograph corroborating a Voice of America (VOA) report that suggests the deployment of an F-7 rocket-propelled grenade launcher, purportedly of North Korean origin, by Hamas.

The VOA’s report, released last Friday, displayed a photo exhibiting the fuse of an F-7 grenade launcher believed to have been used by Hamas. The fuse exhibited a mix of Korean characters and numerical figures, including “비저-7류” and “시8-80-53.”

Substantiating the claims presented in the VOA report, the NIS confirmed its findings, asserting that the fuse bearing Korean characters corresponds to the mid-section of the North Korean-manufactured F-7 rocket.

While acknowledging suspicions regarding North Korea’s weapon supply to Hamas, the agency highlighted challenges in providing detailed evidence due to the imperative need to protect information sources and navigate diplomatic relations.

Previously, South Korea’s military had hinted at potential connections between North Korea and Hamas in arms trade and military domains. During a parliamentary committee session last November, the intelligence service disclosed insights suggesting that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had directed officials to formulate measures for comprehensive support to Palestinians.

Regarding the rockets in question, suspected to be F-7s, a military official has indicated that they are presumed to refer to the RPG-7, a high-explosive fragmentation rocket believed to be manufactured in North Korea.

North Korea has adamantly denied allegations that its weaponry was involved in attacks against Israel, dismissing such claims as baseless assertions orchestrated by the United States.