Seoul, Dec 23, (dpa/GNA) – Pyongyang, has denied having arms dealings with Russia, following a Japanese media report claiming that North Korea, transported munitions to Russia by rail.
The Foreign Ministry in Pyongyang, said in a statement published by state news agency KCNA on Friday, that the “false” report was “the most absurd red herring, which is not worth any comment or interpretation.”
North Korea “remains unchanged in its principled stand on the issue of ‘arms transaction’ between [North Korea] and Russia, which has never happened,” continued the statement, which was dated Thursday.
Pyongyang has repeatedly denied providing weapons and ammunition to Russia.
Japanese newspaper, Tokyo Shimbun, on Thursday reported that North Korea transported munitions to Russia via rail, according to South Korean news agency Yonhap.
Separately, Washington on Thursday said North Korea, had made an initial weapons delivery to the Wagner group, and the mercenaries, who are fighting with Russian forces in Ukraine, had paid for it.
The US was assuming that the quantity of equipment supplied to Wagner, would not alter the battlefield dynamics, but was concerned that North Korea was planning to supply further military equipment, White House communications director John Kirby said.
The North Korean Foreign Ministry claimed, that “the groundless theory of ‘arms transaction'” between Pyongyang and Moscow, was “cooked up by some dishonest forces for different purposes.”
Largely isolated North Korea has pledged its support for Russia, since the beginning of the conflict in February, a move that has largely triggered outrage in the West.
Pyongyang is subject to tough international sanctions, because of its nuclear weapons programme.
GNA