SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea on Tuesday accused the United States of fabricating a “conspiracy breeding story” about its alleged arms transfer to Russia, arguing that it never sent artillery shells to Moscow.
Last week, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby accused North Korea of covertly supplying a “significant number” of ammunition to Russia. He said the United States believes North Korea was trying to cover up the transmission route by making it appear that the weapons were being sent to countries in the Middle East or North Africa.
“We view such actions by the US as part of their hostile attempt to tarnish the image of (North Korea) in the international arena,” an unidentified State Department vice director said in a statement from the United States. state media.
“We make it clear once again that we have never had ‘arms trade’ with Russia and that we do not intend to do so in the future,” said the deputy director.
In September, US officials confirmed a recently downgraded US intelligence finding that Russia was buying millions of missiles and artillery shells from North Korea. North Korea later rejected that report, calling on Washington to stop making “reckless comments” and “shut up”.
On Nov. 2, Kirby said the U.S. has “an idea” of which country or countries the North can channel weapons, but would not specify. He said the North Korean shipments “will not change the course of the war,” citing Western attempts to resupply the Ukrainian military.
Plagued by international sanctions and export controls, Russia bought Iranian-made drones in August that US officials said had technical problems. For Russia, experts say North Korea is likely another good option for its ammunition supply, as the North maintains a significant stockpile of grenades, many of which are copies of Soviet-era ones.
Even as most of Europe and the West have pulled out, North Korea has pushed for strengthening relations with Russia, blaming the US for the crisis and condemning the West’s “hegemonic policies” as justifications. for military action by Russia in Ukraine to protect itself. In July, North Korea became the only country to recognize the Donetsk and Luhansk territories as independent, alongside Russia and Syria.
The North Korean government has also hinted that it is interested in sending construction workers to help rebuild pro-Russian breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine.
North Korea’s possible arms supply to Russia would violate UN resolutions that prohibit the North from trading weapons with other countries. But North Korea is unlikely to face new sanctions for it due to a division in the UN Security Council over America’s confrontations with Russia over its war in Ukraine and its separate strategic competitions with China.
Earlier this year, Russia and China vetoed a US-led effort to tighten sanctions against North Korea over its series of ballistic missile tests banned by multiple UN Security Council resolutions.
Some observers say North Korea has also used Russian aggression in Ukraine to ramp up weapons testing activities and increase pressure on the United States and South Korea. Last week, the North fired dozens of missiles in response to large-scale air exercises between the US and South Korea that Pyongyang sees as a rehearsal for a possible invasion.
In a separate statement published by state media on Tuesday, a senior North Korean diplomat criticized the recent conviction of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres of North Korea’s missile launch barrage, calling him a “mouthpiece” of the US government.
“The UN Secretary General is repeating what the White House and the State Department say as if he were their spokesperson, which is regrettable,” said Kim Son Gyong, vice minister for international organizations at the North Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Kim said Guterres’ “dishonest and prejudiced behavior” has contributed to rising tensions in the region.
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