Washington DC [US], December 16 : Foreign Ministers and representatives of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union on Monday unequivocally condemn the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK's) deployment of troops to Russia and the provision of military support for use in the conflict against Ukraine.
The Foreign Ministers also recalled and reinforced May 2024 coordinated sanctions action and joint statement on DPRK-Russia cooperation.
"We, the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the High Representative of the European Union condemn in the strongest possible terms the increasing military cooperation between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Russian Federation, including the deployment of DPRK troops to Russia for use on the battlefield against Ukraine. In a continued show of support and unity, we recall and reinforce our May 2024 coordinated sanctions action and joint statement on DPRK-Russia cooperation," the US State Department said in a press release.
The countries further said that direct DPRK support for Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine marks a dangerous expansion of the conflict, with serious consequences for European and Indo-Pacific security. "The DPRK's export of ballistic missiles, artillery shells, and other military materiel to Russia for use against Ukraine and Russia's training of DPRK soldiers involving arms or related materiel represent flagrant violations of United Nations Security Council resolutions 1718 (2006), 1874 (2009), and 2270 (2016). We are deeply concerned about any political, military, or economic support that Russia may be providing to the DPRK's illegal weapons programs, including weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, which would exacerbate the already tense environment on the Korean Peninsula," the statement said.
The statement further said, "Together, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to support Ukraine as it defends its freedom, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. We urge the DPRK to immediately cease all assistance for Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, including by withdrawing its troops. We urge Russia to immediately end its war of aggression against Ukraine and cease its military cooperation with the DPRK. We encourage members of the broader international community to join our call and we will continue to act in concert, including through imposition of economic sanctions, to respond to the danger posed by the DPRK-Russia partnership."
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in November had said that approximately 10,000 North Korean soldiers are currently in Russia, with around 8,000 deployed in the Kursk region.
Notably, Russia and North Korea have stepped up military cooperation since the beginning of the conflict between Moscow and Kyiv in February 2022.
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