Ministry of Foreign Affairs Urges Russia to Cease Use of North Korean Weapons

Russia Uses North Korean Ballistic Missiles in Attack on Ukraine

The United States revealed that Russia used North Korean weapons when attacking Ukraine, and the government has urged the suspension of related arms transactions.

John Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the U.S. National Security Council, explaining Russia's use of North Korean missiles
[Photo by Yonhap News]

On the 5th, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official stated, "Under close cooperation with the United States, we have been closely monitoring the military cooperation trends between Russia and North Korea," and criticized, "It is self-contradictory for Russia, a party to the UN Security Council resolutions on North Korea, to receive North Korean weapons and use them in the war in Ukraine."

Regarding the arms transactions between North Korea and Russia, the official said, "This is an act that seriously threatens peace and stability not only on the Korean Peninsula but also worldwide," and "We strongly urge an immediate halt once again." They added, "As a member of the UN Security Council, the government will strictly respond to the Russia-North Korea military cooperation issue in close cooperation with the international community, including the United States and Japan."

All arms transactions between North Korea and Russia, including ballistic missiles, violate UN Security Council resolutions. The government has been serving as a non-permanent member of the Security Council since this year and plans to raise this issue at the Security Council meeting related to Ukraine scheduled for the 10th.

Earlier, John Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the White House National Security Council (NSC), stated in a briefing on the 4th (local time) that Russia recently launched some ballistic missiles received from North Korea at Ukraine.