North Korea denounces ‘irresponsible’ Western criticism of its support for Russian war effort in Ukraine

“We urge North Korea to immediately cease all assistance to Russia for its war of aggression against Ukraine, including by withdrawing its troops”North Korea described Thursday, December 18 as “irresponsible provocations” criticism by the United States and its allies of its support for the Russian war effort against Ukraine, including through the deployment of troops. In a statement released by the official (North) Korean Central News Agency, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Monday’s warning from ten countries and the European Union “distorted and slandered” the links of “normal cooperation” between Pyongyang and Moscow.

Pyongyang has sent thousands of troops to reinforce Russian military numbers, particularly in the Kursk border region, where Ukrainian forces seized territory at the start of the year. On Monday, these countries and the EU said that North Korea’s growing involvement in the war in Ukraine, in support of Russia, constituted a “dangerous enlargement” of the conflict, with serious consequences for the security of Europe and the Indo-Pacific region.

We urge North Korea to immediately cease all assistance to Russia for its war of aggression against Ukraine, including by withdrawing its troops. »

Statement signed by Australia, Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States

The foreign ministers of Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and the United Kingdom Uni, as well as the high representative of the European Union, signed the declaration, published by Washington. “We urge North Korea to immediately cease all assistance to Russia for its war of aggression against Ukraine, including by withdrawing its troops”the statement said.

But Pyongyang’s foreign ministry hit back, with the spokesperson saying “grave concern and protest, denouncing and rejecting in the strongest terms the irresponsible provocations of the United States and its vassal forces”. North Korea has declared that “madness” of the response of «forces hostiles» indicated that increased cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow “effectively deterred the United States and the ill-intentioned extension of Western influence”.

“Legitimate right”

North Korea has not specifically mentioned deploying its troops alongside Russian forces, saying only that the war in Ukraine “has been extended” by what she calls “adventurist military policy and exclusive alliance policy” of Washington and its allies. North Korea “will firmly safeguard its legitimate right as a sovereign state, impose no restrictions on its exercise, and continue to make crucial efforts to preserve regional and global peace and security”according to the statement released by KCNA.

A senior US military official said Tuesday that “hundreds” North Korean soldiers had been killed or injured in the fighting between them and the Ukrainian army in the Russian region of Kursk. North Korea and Russia have strengthened military ties since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. A historic defense pact between Pyongyang and Moscow, signed in June, took effect earlier this month.