US concerned North Korean leader Kim Jong Un plans to deliver more military equipment to Russia

The United States is concerned that North Korea is planning to send more military weapons to Russia, said a State Department spokesperson after Kim Jong Un vowed to bolster strategic cooperation with Moscow.

Kim Jong Un made the pledge in a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin marking Russia’s National Day.

In his message, the North Korean leader called for “closer strategic cooperation” with Moscow, “holding hands firmly with the Russian president, in conformity with the common desire of the peoples of the two countries to fulfil the grand goal of building a powerful country.”

“Justice is sure to win and the Russian people will continue to add glory to the history of victory,” Kim said in the message published by state media KCNA.

“We are concerned that the DPRK is planning to deliver more military equipment to Russia,” the US State Department spokesperson said.

The spokesperson further said despite denials by Pyongyang that it had sold weapons to Russia for its war in Ukraine, the US had confirmed that in November 2022, North Korea had completed an arms delivery, including infantry rockets and missiles, to the Kremlin-backed Wagner mercenary group.

North Korea has sought to build up closer ties with the Kremlin and backed Russia after it invaded Ukraine last year, blaming the “hegemonic policy” and “high-handedness” of the US and the West.

In March, the US had said that it had new information about Russia actively seeking to acquire additional weapons from North Korea in exchange for food aid.

In the same month, Washington had imposed sanctions on a Slovakian man it said had tried to arrange the sale of over two dozen types of North Korean weapons and munitions to Russia to assist the country replace military equipment lost in its war with Ukraine.

With inputs from Reuters

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