朝鲜向俄罗斯提供军火和派遣士兵参与乌克兰战争，从中获得了巨额经济收益。[1]根据韩国国家安全战略研究所的报告，朝鲜在2022年至2025年间从军事支援中获得超过14亿美元的收入。[1]除军火销售外，朝鲜还通过派遣士兵获利，其中士兵每月薪酬为2800美元，军官为3000美元，阵亡士兵的家属则可获得6000至10000美元的抚恤。[1]
目前已有16000至22000名朝鲜士兵在俄罗斯参战，金正恩计划再派遣30000至50000名士兵。[1]2024年至2025年间，乌克兰估计俄罗斯50%的军火来自朝鲜。[1]除直接的军事支援外，朝鲜还通过加密货币黑客活动获得额外收益，仅在2025年2月针对ByBit平台的一次盗窃事件中就获得15亿美元的以太坊。[1]
尽管朝鲜从这些活动中获得了巨额资金，但这些收益并未惠及普通民众。[1]这些资金主要用于改善平壤的基础设施和消费品供应，而朝鲜经济增长缺乏内部改革的基础。[1]
North Korea has generated substantial financial returns through its military support for Russia's war in Ukraine. According to a South Korean report, the country earned over $1.4 billion from military assistance between 2022 and 2025, bringing its total revenue from this support to approximately $2.2 billion when combined with other income sources [1]. The South Korean National Security Strategy Research Institute estimates a wider range, suggesting North Korea may have earned between $7.7 billion and $14.4 billion from arms sales and troop deployment [1].
The financial arrangement extends to compensation for deployed personnel. North Korean soldiers receive $2,800 per month, officers $3,000 per month, and families of fallen soldiers receive $6,000 to $10,000 [1]. Between 16,000 and 22,000 North Korean troops have already engaged in combat in Russia, with leader Kim Jong-un reportedly planning to deploy an additional 30,000 to 50,000 soldiers [1]. By 2024-2025, Ukrainian estimates indicated that approximately 50 percent of Russian military ammunition originated from North Korea [1].
Beyond military contracts, North Korea has diversified its revenue streams through cryptocurrency theft operations. In February 2025, the country's hackers were linked to stealing $1.5 billion in Ethereum from the ByBit platform, contributing to an estimated $8 billion in additional cryptocurrency-related proceeds [1]. However, these substantial financial gains have not translated into broad-based economic improvement for ordinary citizens. While the funds have been directed toward infrastructure and consumer goods improvements in Pyongyang, North Korea's economic foundation remains weak, lacking the internal structural reforms necessary for sustainable growth [1].