Military Watch Magazine claims that North Korean 170mm Koksan self-propelled artillery systems are being actively used in Ukraine.
However, the video available to the publication does not make it possible to determine who is operating the systems. According to MWM, Russia has received a significant number of these self-propelled guns, while North Korea has also deployed personnel to the combat zone. The publication therefore does not rule out that the Koksans could be operated by personnel from either the Russian or North Korean military.
The report claims that the Russian Armed Forces have received around 120 Koksan systems. This number would be roughly equivalent to four North Korean artillery regiments. MWM describes the deliveries as another indication of North Korea’s growing role as Russia’s ally.
One of the key features of the Koksan is its unusual caliber and specialized role. The Russian military traditionally relies on different artillery standards: the 2S19 Msta-S, for example, fires 152mm ammunition, while the much heavier 2S7M Malka uses 203mm shells. The North Korean 170mm system therefore requires a separate ammunition supply chain.
In practice, the effectiveness of Koksan operations depends directly on Pyongyang’s ability to supply Russia not only with the artillery systems themselves but also with compatible shells. North Korea, however, possesses vast artillery ammunition stockpiles and one of the world’s largest artillery forces.
Comparing the Koksan with Russia’s Malka based solely on caliber would be misleading. The 203mm 2S7M is a significantly heavier system designed primarily to deliver powerful strikes and destroy fortified positions. The North Korean system places greater emphasis on range. The number of Malkas is also limited and they are more expensive to operate, preventing them from achieving the same potential mass presence on the battlefield as North Korean artillery supplied in large numbers.
North Korean artillery support is not limited to the Koksan. According to estimates cited by the publication, Russia may have received as many as nine million 122mm and 152mm artillery shells from North Korea by the end of 2024. The arrival of 170mm self-propelled guns added another caliber along with the ammunition required to operate them.
Long firing range remains one of the principal advantages of the North Korean 170mm system. North Korea has achieved significant range even with relatively basic ammunition based on Cold War-era technology.
The system’s capabilities could theoretically be considerably greater when using modern rocket-assisted projectiles. Military Watch Magazine estimates that integrating 21st-century ammunition could potentially extend the Koksan’s firing range beyond 100 kilometers.
MWM also notes that North Korea continues to modernize other parts of its artillery forces. The North Korean military has begun receiving its first 155mm howitzers. Pyongyang is therefore not only maintaining its enormous inventory of traditional artillery systems but also gradually expanding its range of modern guns and ammunition.