Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, denied allegations on Friday that Pyongyang is supplying weapons to Russia. She called the claims “absurd,” despite repeated accusations from South Korea and the United States that North Korea is transferring arms to Moscow.
South Korea and the US have pointed to increased artillery and cruise missile production in North Korea as potential evidence of weapon shipments intended for use in Ukraine. However, Kim Yo Jong asserted that North Korea has “no intention to export our military technical capabilities to any country,” according to a statement by the official Korean Central News Agency.
She accused Seoul and Washington of spreading false rumors, stating, “What is most urgent for us is not to ‘advertise’ or ‘export’ something, but to make the war readiness and war deterrent of our army more perfect in quality and quantity.”
Despite these denials, North Korea has recently strengthened military ties with Russia. Last month, Pyongyang expressed gratitude to Moscow for using its UN Security Council veto to block the renewal of a panel of experts that monitored international sanctions on Kim’s regime.
South Korea claimed in March that North Korea had shipped around 7,000 containers of arms to Russia for its war in Ukraine, with transfers believed to have begun last July. US officials and experts suggested that in return, Pyongyang sought military assistance from Russia, including satellite technology and upgrades for its Soviet-era equipment.
Last week, North Korea announced plans to equip its military with a new 240mm multiple rocket launcher, signaling a “significant change” in its artillery capabilities. On Tuesday, Kim Jong Un inspected a new tactical missile system and called for an “epochal change” in war preparations.
Kim Yo Jong emphasized that North Korea’s recent weapons developments are solely for defensive purposes against South Korea, stating, “We don’t conceal the fact that such weapons will be used to prevent Seoul from inventing any idle thinking.”
Inter-Korean relations have reached a nadir, with Pyongyang labeling South Korea its “principal enemy” and dismantling agencies dedicated to reunification. North Korea has also threatened war over any perceived territorial infringements.
