Kim Jong Un’s powerful sister said again on Friday that North Korea has not sent any weapons to Russia. She called it ridiculous that people are speculating about weapons deals between North Korea and Russia.
The US and South Korea believe that North Korea is giving weapons to Russia for their war in Ukraine in exchange for advanced military technology and economic help. North Korea and Russia have said that it is not true many times.
Experts from other countries think that North Korea did some tests with artillery and short-range missiles recently to show off the weapons they want to sell to Russia.
Kim Yo Jong said that she doesn’t think it’s necessary to assess or interpret the North Korean-Russian dealings because she thinks it’s very ridiculous and doesn’t make sense.
“We don’t want to share our military technology with any other country or make it available to the public,” she said in a message reported by the state media.
She said North Korea tested weapons as part of their plan to build up their military over the next five years. She said the new weapons are made to attack Seoul, the capital of South Korea.
“We’re not hiding the fact that we will use these weapons to stop Seoul from having any unnecessary thoughts,” said Kim Yo Jong.
Last year, South Korean Defense Minister Shin Wonsik said North Korea sent about 7,000 containers of weapons and military gear to Russia. In response, Shin said that North Korea got more than 9,000 Russian containers that probably had aid inside.
In January, a spokesperson for the US National Security Council, John Kirby, said that missiles from North Korea were used in an attack on Ukraine. At that time, officials in Ukraine said they found a missile in the northeastern Kharkiv region and believed it came from North Korea.
Selling weapons to North Korea would break the rules of the United Nations, which Russia agreed to.
In May, the White House said that Russia was sending more refined petroleum to North Korea than the UN Security Council allows.
North Korea and Russia are becoming closer friends because they both have problems with the United States. North Korea is working on making nuclear weapons, and Russia is fighting a long war in Ukraine.
Since 2022, North Korea has been doing a lot of missile tests that make other countries worried. The US is doing more military practice with South Korea and Japan because of this. Experts from other countries believe that North Korea probably believes that having more weapons will give them more power in future talks with the United States.