North Korea leader's sister denies weapons exchange with Russia

Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, again denied arms exchanges with Russia, state media KCNA reported on Friday, saying her nation's recently developed and updated weapons systems were not for sale to any other countries.

The US and South Korea accused North Korea of transferring weapons to Russia for use against Ukraine, which it invaded in February 2022. Both Moscow and Pyongyang have denied the accusations but vowed last year to deepen military relations.

But Kim Yo Jong said the North Korea-Russia arms deal "theory" made up of prejudice and fiction was the "most absurd theory" that does not deserve anyone's evaluation or interpretation, according to KCNA quoting her press statement, calling it a false rumor spread by its hostile forces.

Kim Yo Jong added North Korea's tactical weapons such as rocket launchers and missiles recently shown were not meant for exports but for defense against South Korea.

South Korea's defense ministry said in a statement that it was closely monitoring the North Korean military's activities but declined to elaborate further, citing the safety of South Korean soldiers.

Meanwhile, the United States announced fresh sanctions on Thursday on two Russian individuals and three Russian companies for facilitating arms transfers between Russia and North Korea, including ballistic missiles for use in Ukraine.

The debris from a missile that landed in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Jan. 2 was from a North Korean Hwasong-11 series ballistic missile, United Nations sanctions monitors told a Security Council committee in a report seen by Reuters.

Reuters