Hamas' Weapons, Tactics Have N. Korean Stamp: S.Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff Report

In a recent evaluation of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) revealed potential connections between the Palestinian militant group Hamas and North Korea.

This assessment comes in the wake of Hamas' surprise attack on Israel on October 7th.

"Our assessment of the situation has unveiled both direct and indirect ties between Hamas and North Korea, spanning various aspects including arms trade, tactics, doctrine and training," the JCS stated in its evaluation.

Hamas had previously utilized strategies that primarily revolved around conducting hit-and-run operations, participating in minor conflicts, and launching rockets.

The South Korean military has noted similarities between the tactics used by Hamas in the recent conflict with Israel and what they call an "asymmetric attack pattern" typically associated with North Korea. These tactics encompassed launching a substantial barrage of rockets to overwhelm Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system, conducting drone attacks, and executing multi-front infiltrations by land, sea, and air. Moreover, Hamas also employed paragliders and paramotors in their recent attacks, similar to a 2016 incident in which North Korean armed forces publicly conducted exercises involving paragliders, with the South Korean presidential office as the target.

The South Korean military has not provided concrete evidence of a direct link between Hamas and North Korea but suggests the possibility of an indirect interaction. They point to North Korea's active interactions with various Middle Eastern countries and armed groups, such as Iran, Syria, and Hezbollah, which maintain close relationships with Hamas.

Recent media reports and the Israel Defense Forces' findings suggest that during their attacks on Israel, Hamas utilized 85-millimeter F-7 surface-to-surface high-explosive fragmentation rockets that are believed to have been produced in North Korea. Additionally, North Korean-made 122mm artillery shells, presumed to be used by armed groups actively supporting or affiliated with Hamas, were discovered in the vicinity of the Israeli border.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff couldn't find direct evidence of these weapons being exported to Hamas by North Korea but suggested that intermediaries, including countries with military exchanges with North Korea, may have played a role.

Additionally, the South Korean military expressed concerns about North Korea potentially employing "Hamas-style" surprise attack tactics in any contingencies involving South Korea.