President Yoon Suk Yeol's national security adviser said Friday that Russia had already provided North Korea with military equipment and "anti-air" weapons in return for North Korea's recent troop dispatch to the Ukraine war.

Shin Won-sik, director of the presidential National Security Office, said in a televised interview with SBS Friday that these weapons were sent to Pyongyang, which would "allow North Korea to address vulnerabilities in its anti-air defense capability."

The term he used means the weapons are designed to hit targets in the air, but it wasn't specified if these were ground-to-air missiles.

Shin added that these were part of Russia's support to North Korea, alongside satellite-related technologies, military technologies and economic support. Shin did not elaborate on what evidence he had of these provisions during the interview.

Shin also confirmed that North Korea has not only dispatched over 10,000 troops to fight alongside Russia in the Ukraine war, but also sent at least 160 pieces of artillery, including some with a maximum range of 50 kilometers.

Shin ruled out the possibility that Russia would use its nuclear weapons to target Ukraine despite its recent announcement of a new nuclear doctrine.

On a planned visit by a Ukrainian special envoy to South Korea, Shin admitted that the visit would take place "in the near future" but did not elaborate on the exact schedule.