U.S. Expresses Concern Over Growing North Korea-Russia Cooperation

WASHINGTON – The United States has expressed significant concern over the deepening cooperation between North Korea and Russia, highlighted by the upcoming visit of North Korea’s Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui to Russia.
According to Yonhap News Agency, a State Department spokesperson conveyed these concerns on Sunday, emphasizing the implications for global peace and stability.

The visit of Choe Son-hui, scheduled from Monday to Wednesday, comes at the invitation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. This event is seen as a clear indication of strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries. The State Department spokesperson emphasized the potential threats posed by this alliance, citing its impact on the Korean Peninsula’s peace, the global nonproliferation regime, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), North Korea’s official name, has been under scrutiny for its alleged involvement in arms transfers to Russia. These activities, according to Washington, Seoul, and other governments, contravene multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions. Earlier in January, the White House accused North Korea of supplying Russia with several dozen ballistic missiles used against Ukraine on specific dates, including Dec. 30, Jan. 2, and Jan. 6.

Further adding to these concerns, the White House in October disclosed that North Korea had delivered over 1,000 containers of military equipment and munitions to Russia for use in the Ukraine conflict. This transfer of arms is speculated to be a result of the Sept. 13 summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a Russian spaceport, which may have facilitated an arms deal.

The intensifying North Korea-Russia collaboration presents a complex challenge to international efforts aimed at maintaining global peace and countering proliferation, particularly in the context of the Ukrainian crisis and the fragile stability on the Korean Peninsula.