North Korea denies selling weapons to Russia for Ukraine war

Seoul, Sep 22 (EFE).- North Korea Thursday denied selling weapons to Russia during the war in Ukraine, saying it did not plan to do so in the future, as alleged by the United States.

“We have never exported weapons or ammunition to Russia before and we will not plan to export them,” said a North Korean defense ministry statement carried by the official Korea Central News Agency (KCNA).

In early September, a US State Department spokesman claimed Russia might be in the process of purchasing “millions of rockets and artillery rounds” from North Korea in violation of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions.

The North Korean statement said the allegations regarding the “violation of a resolution” were a “rumor” spread by the “US and other hostile forces.”

The statement said a sovereign state reserved the “lawful right” to develop, produce, possess, export, and import military equipment.

“Nobody is entitled to criticize it,” the defense ministry said.

“We have never recognized the UNSC unlawful sanctions resolution against the DPRK (North Korea’s official name) cooked up by the US and its vassal forces.”

The statement said the regime still issued the denial as “an opportunity to make (it) clear” that North Korea did not sell and was not planning to export arms to Russia.

“It is not sure from where the rumor originated which the US is spreading, but it is aimed at tarnishing the DPRK’s image.”

The statement condemned the US for “circulating the rumor against the DPRK to pursue its base political and military aim.”

It warned the US, asking Washington “to stop making reckless remarks and to keep its mouth shut.” EFE

asb-ssk