North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un addresses the Supreme People's Assembly, North Korea's parliament, which passed a law officially enshrining its nuclear weapons policies, in Pyongyang, North Korea, September 8, 2022 in this photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). KCNA via REUTERS
The United States is concerned that North Korea is planning to deliver more weapons to Russia, a US State Department spokesperson said on Monday after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to bolster strategic cooperation with Moscow.
Earlier on Monday, North Korea’s KCNA state news agency said Kim made the pledge in a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin marking Russia’s National Day.
Kim called for “closer strategic cooperation” with Moscow, in conformity with the common desire of the peoples of the two countries to fulfill the grand goal of building a powerful country,” Reuters reported.
The State Department spokesperson said that despite Pyongyang’s denials that it had sold weapons to Russia for its war in Ukraine, the United States had confirmed North Korea had completed an arms delivery, including infantry rockets and missiles, to the Kremlin-backed Wagner mercenary group in November 2022.
“We are concerned that the DPRK is planning to deliver more military equipment to Russia,” the spokesperson added, using the initials of North Korea’s official name.
The United States said in March it had new information that Russia was actively seeking to acquire additional weapons from North Korea in exchange for food aid.
