North Korea-Russia ties: Pyongyang’s rapid rapprochement with Moscow is framed as a strategic lifeline, with Russia and North Korea nearing completion of a new bridge near Khasan that could tighten military logistics and deepen battlefield cooperation. South Korea’s defense tech security: Seoul launched a major counterintelligence overhaul, dissolving the old Defense Counterintelligence Command and creating new bodies with a clear mandate to protect AI and satellite systems from espionage and sabotage. Sanctions and DPRK IT schemes: A first-ever joint alert from 11 countries warns that North Korean IT workers are using remote jobs under false identities to generate illicit revenue tied to nuclear and ballistic programs, raising insider-risk concerns for employers. Cyber and software supply chain: North Korea’s “national antivirus” is reported to have pivoted to ClamAV code, rebuilt and repackaged under multiple domestic names—another sign of reliance on foreign software while obscuring origins. AI as a battlefield: CrowdStrike reports attackers increasingly target AI systems themselves, not just use AI as a tool—an environment that favors faster exploitation and higher-impact intrusions. Economy signals: South Korea’s central bank says North Korea grew 3.5% in 2025, driven largely by expanded arms trade with Russia and stronger China-linked commerce.