SEOUL, - In a joint statement released on Thursday, South Korea, the United States, and Japan strongly condemned North Korea for supplying military equipment and munitions to Russia. The equipment is reportedly being used by Moscow in its ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
According to a new release by the Yonhap News Agency, the joint condemnation follows revelations from Washington that Pyongyang had dispatched over 1,000 containers of military gear and munitions to Moscow. These deliveries occurred after a rare summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin last month. The statement, issued under the names of the top diplomats of the three countries, specifies that such transfers are increasing the human toll in Russia's "war of aggression" in Ukraine and violate multiple United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, which Russia itself has voted for.
The statement also indicated that in return for the weapons supplied, North Korea is seeking military assistance to advance its own capabilities. The countries expressed deep concern over the potential transfer of nuclear or ballistic missile technology to North Korea. They stressed that such activities jeopardize international efforts to keep sensitive technologies from destabilizing actors, both on the Korean Peninsula and globally.
Finally, the joint statement urged North Korea and Russia to immediately cease all activities that violate relevant UNSC resolutions. It also emphasized the need for renewed efforts to address the advancing threat of weapons of mass destruction from North Korea.