North Korea’s defense ministry said on Tuesday that US allegations that Pyongyang was supplying Russia with artillery munitions for its war in Ukraine were “baseless”, North Korea’s state-run KCNA news agency reported.
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Following North Korean weapons tests last week (launching at least 23 missiles in one day, plus one intercontinental ballistic missile launch), tensions are rising on the Korean Peninsula as the US and South Korea complete their largest-ever joint flight. Exercises there.
Pyongyang’s denial comes in response to accusations from White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby last week. North Korea sends a “significant number” of bombs to Russia “in a covert manner,” he said, “trying to make it look like they are being sent to the Middle East or Africa.”
The spokesman said Washington is currently trying to determine whether the North Korean military aid was actually received by the Russians.
“Recently, the United States continues to spread baseless rumors of ‘weapons deals’ between the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, North Korea) and Russia,” said a statement from the North Korean Ministry of Military Affairs’ Deputy Director of Foreign Affairs. National Security, KCNA quoted the agency as saying.
“We would like to make it clear once again that there are no arms deals with Russia yet and we do not expect any in the future,” the press release added, adding that this rumor is “a malicious attempt to tarnish the DPRK’s image on the international stage.”
John Kirby added last week, “I don’t think the equipment that (Russian President Vladimir Putin) is getting or getting is going to change the game on the battlefield in any tangible way.”
He considered the alleged North Korean aid indicative of Pyongyang’s wishes, but also of Russia’s “deficits and needs”.
