The ongoing visits by Russian and Chinese delegations to Pyongyang highlight their support for North Korea's unlawful weapons development programs that pose serious threats to regional peace, a state department spokesperson said Thursday.
Vedant Patel, principal deputy spokesperson for the state department, insisted that Russia and China should use their influence over Pyongyang instead to help rein in North Korea's destabilizing activities.
"The DPRK's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, they pose a grave threat to international peace and security, and stand in blatant violation of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions," the spokesperson told a daily press briefing.
Vedant Patel, principal deputy spokesperson for the Department of State, is seen taking questions during a daily press briefing at the department in Washington on July 27, 2023 in this captured image. (Yonhap)
Vedant Patel, principal deputy spokesperson for the Department of State, is seen taking questions during a daily press briefing at the department in Washington on July 27, 2023 in this captured image. (Yonhap)
North Korea's state media reported earlier that a Russian delegation led by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and a Chinese delegation led by Li Hongzhong, a member of the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party, arrived in Pyongyang this week to take part in events marking the 70th anniversary of the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.
Earlier reports said the North held a massive military parade in Pyongyang late Thursday (Korea time) to mark the day that is celebrated in the country as Victory Day.
"Russia's support for these unlawful weapons programs by blocking additional action at the U.N. Security Council, by participating in events in Pyongyang, celebrating these weapons by failing to crack down on DPRK's sanction evasion activities, all of this just highlights how detrimental it has become to preserving international peace and security," Patel told the press briefing.
"I will also note that, as we have previously said, we believe that Beijing has influence over Pyongyang and we hope that it will use that influence to encourage Pyongyang to return to dialogue and refrain from destabilizing activities," he added.
Source: Yonhap News Agency