North Korean cache: European arms fuel Kim's military ambitions
In North Korea, Kim Jong Un participated in the unveiling of new weaponry for special forces, including sniper rifles from a reputable European Union manufacturer. Here’s what Kim was using and an explanation of how these weapons could have arrived in North Korea.
Kim Jong Un personally tested the new sniper rifle, identified as the Steyr SSG 08, which is manufactured in Austria. Its presence in North Korea remains a mystery since it likely arrived unofficially through third countries.
European rifles in North Korea — Russia could be the culprit
North Korea, like Iran, is subject to sanctions and often acquires components or weaponry through clandestine networks designed to mask the end client. Despite these restrictions, some countries tolerate the sale by local companies to other sanctioned states.
It's worth noting that following North Korea's significant aid to Russia, it has gained the opportunity to receive more advanced equipment. After all, Russia is less isolated internationally than North Korea. It is probable that the Austrian SSG 08 rifles, available on the civilian market, made their way to Kazakhstan or another country with ties to Russia, similar to how components for sniper ammunition have moved. Rifles from Russia could then have been delivered to North Korea as payment for other equipment.
Steyr SSG 08 - Sniper perfection from Austria
The Steyr SSG 08 rifle has been in production since 2008, with its name derived from Scharfschützengewehr 2008. The rifle was designed to meet the needs of the EKO Cobra anti-terrorist unit. It's noteworthy that Steyr has a rich history dating back to 1864, having delivered many unique and revolutionary weapons over the years.
The SSG 08 is a classic bolt-action rifle, using interchangeable magazines and requiring manual reloading after each shot. It is characterized by outstanding precision, capable of achieving accuracy of less than 0.5 MOA, with some shooters even managing 0.3 MOA with Steyr weapons.
MOA, or Minute of Angle, is often used to measure firearm accuracy. For this rifle, it denotes placing all shots within a circle measuring about 0.35 inches at 328 feet or approximately 0.6 inches. At 984 feet, this would translate to roughly 1 inch and 1.7 inches respectively. This precision allows for consistently hitting a target the size of a tissue box at 328 feet.
The Steyr SSG 08 is available in variants for 7.62x51mm NATO (.308 Winchester), 7.62x67mm (.300 Winchester Magnum), and 8.6x70mm (.338 Lapua Magnum) ammunition. The last caliber enables accurate shooting at distances over 0.9 miles, outmatching even the best ballistic armor plates in the world.
The rifle is constructed with key elements such as a cold-hammer-forged barrel, a bolt with four lugs, and a trigger mechanism, all of which are made from aluminum, resulting in an acceptable weight. Depending on the caliber, the SSG 08 weighs about 12 to 13.5 lb when unloaded, excluding a bipod and an optical sight with a mount, which typically adds over 2 lb.
The rifle Kim appeared to be using was equipped with a factory-installed optical sight, resembling the popular Schmidt & Bender 5-25x56 PM II in recent years.
As expected for modern sniper weaponry, the SSG 08 allows for extensive customization to meet the shooter’s physiological needs. The side-folding stock features length and cheek pad height adjustments, along with a retractable monopod with height adjustment. The dorsal section of the Picatinny rail comes standard with a 20 MOA incline.
