SEOUL: Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, again denied arms exchanges with Russia, saying her nation’s recently developed and updated weapons systems were not for sale other countries.
The United States and South Korea accused North Korea of transferring weapons to Moscow for use against Ukraine, which it invaded in February 2022. Both Moscow and Pyongyang have denied the allegations, but vowed last year to deepen military ties.
Relations between the two nations have strengthened dramatically following North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s visit to Russia’s far east in September and a summit with President Vladimir Putin. But Kim Yo Jong said the North Korea-Russia arms agreement “theory” made up of fiction and prejudice and was the “most absurd theory” that does not deserve anyone’s evaluation or interpretation, according to North Korean media reports.
Kim Yo Jong said North Korea’s tactical weapons such as missiles and rocket launchers recently shown were not meant for exports, but for defence against South Korea. South Korea and North Korea remain technically at war because of their 1950 to 1953 conflict ended in a truce, not a treaty.
North Korea Deploys Troops, Heavy Equipment
Over the last month, Pyongyang has deployed thousands of troops as well as heavy equipment such as excavators as it lays mines and barbed wire and constructs guard posts along the already heavily armed border with South Korea.
South Korea’s defence ministry said that it was closely monitoring the military activities of North Korea.
Meanwhile, the US announced fresh sanctions on Thursday on two Russian individuals and three Russian firms for facilitating arms transfers between Russia and North Korea, including ballistic missiles for use in Ukraine.
