Russia has enhanced North Korea's KN-23 missiles, improving their accuracy in strikes, according to Budanov.

North Korea and Russia are strengthening military cooperation across various sectors, particularly in technology. The Russians have managed to enhance the North Korean KN-23 missile.

This was stated by the head of Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate, as reported by RBK-Ukraine citing his interview with The Chosun.

"This cooperation has reached the highest level and poses a serious threat to the international community," said Budanov.

Specifically, he recalled the KN-23 missile that North Korea supplied to Russia.

"Initially, its accuracy was very low, with an error margin of 500 to 1500 meters. However, Russian missile specialists made technical modifications to resolve this issue. Now, the missile is significantly more accurate and poses a much greater threat," Budanov explained.

In his opinion, such technological advancements could have serious implications for the security of South Korea and Japan, which are within the range of North Korean missiles.

"North Korea is using this war to gain combat experience and modernize its military technologies. This will have long-term consequences for the security landscape in the Asia-Pacific region," Budanov stated.

What is known about KN-23

Externally, the missile resembles the Russian 9M723 ballistic missile from the Iskander-M operational-tactical complex and the South Korean Hyunmoo-2B. The KN-23, after launch and reaching an altitude of about 50 kilometers, follows a quasi-ballistic trajectory.

The missile's warhead can be unitary, cluster, or nuclear.

Among other characteristics:

• Length: 7.5 meters;
• Diameter: 0.95 meters;
• Weight: 3.415 tons;
• Flight range: 690 kilometers.

Recall that in February 2024, former Attorney General Andrey Kostin confirmed the aforementioned information and stated that the enemy at that time used at least 24 ballistic missiles of North Korean production. Already in March of the same year, the head of the Kharkiv regional prosecutor's office, Alexander Filchakov, reported on about 50 missiles of the Hwasong 11 type (KN-23/24).

In the fall, it became known that North Korea had likely deployed its troops alongside the Russians in Ukraine. North Koreans may assist with launching KN-23 missiles.