A surge in rail traffic on North Korea-Russia border suggests arms supply to Russia, think tank says

By HYUNG-JIN KIM
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A U.S. think tank says recent satellite photos show a sharp increase in rail traffic along the North Korea-Russia border, indicating the North is supplying munitions to Russia. Beyond Parallel, a website run by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank, made the assessment on Friday. It says satellite images as of Oct. 5 captured “a dramatic and unprecedented level of freight railcar traffic” at the Tumangang Rail Facility on the border. Speculation about a possible North Korean plan to refill Russia’s drained arms inventory flared last month, when North Korean leader Kim Jong Un traveled to Russia to meet President Vladimir Putin.