Russia is developing ties with North Korea in “all areas,” including “sensitive” ones, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Jan. 17.
The assertion follows Western claims that North Korea is transferring ballistic missiles to Russia for use against targets in Ukraine.
Describing North Korea as a “very important partner,” Mr. Peskov said the two countries sought to “develop relations in all areas, including in sensitive areas.”
His remarks come a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Choe Son Hui, North Korea’s foreign minister, for rare talks at the Kremlin.
Since Russia launched its invasion of eastern Ukraine in early 2022, Moscow has openly sought to develop its existing ties with Pyongyang.
In September 2023, Mr. Putin met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at a landmark summit in Russia’s Far East.
Soon afterward, the Kremlin confirmed that burgeoning ties between the two countries included “military interaction and discussion of urgent security issues.”
The Putin–Kim summit prompted fevered speculation among Western officials that Russia and North Korea were exchanging arms and associated technologies.
At the time, U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan warned that Pyongyang would “pay a price” if it was found to be supplying Russia with weapons for use in Ukraine.
Ms. Choe visited Moscow on Jan. 16 and held closed-door discussions with Sergey Lavrov, her Russian counterpart, who himself visited Pyongyang in October 2023.
Speaking after the meeting, Ms. Choe hailed the two countries’ “brotherly” relations.
“Both our foreign ministers meet frequently now, thus deepening our brotherly ties,” she said. “This confirms Korea–Russia relations ... are swiftly moving ahead.”
Later the same day, the two top diplomats met with Mr. Putin, whom they reportedly briefed on the outcome of their discussions.
No details on the latter meeting were immediately forthcoming.
However, according to Mr. Peskov, the talks focused on “bilateral relations in general” and the “situation on the Korean Peninsula.”
Mr. Peskov also confirmed that a planned visit to North Korea by Mr. Putin was “on the agenda.”
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula, where the United States maintains thousands of troops in the south, have continued to rise in recent weeks.
On Jan. 15, Seoul vowed to deliver a “crushing response” if North Korea persisted in test-firing ballistic missiles believed to carry hypersonic warheads.
In 2017, the U.N. Security Council imposed wide-ranging sanctions on North Korea after the latter test-fired a ballistic missile, raising tensions across the region.
However, in 2022, Russia joined China to stymie U.S.-led efforts to impose fresh Security Council sanctions on North Korea in response to its ongoing missile activities.
‘Significant Escalation’
In recent months, U.S. officials have repeatedly claimed that Moscow seeks to import ballistic missiles from North Korea—for use in Ukraine—in return for advanced technologies.In early January, the White House accused Russia of using North Korean short-range missiles to carry out recent strikes on Ukrainian targets.
Since late last year, Russia has launched some of its most intense aerial barrages on Ukrainian infrastructure since the conflict began almost two years ago.
On Jan. 4, U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby claimed that Russia had fired “multiple” North Korean missiles as part of its latest wave of strikes.
Citing declassified intelligence, he asserted that North Korea had “recently” supplied Russia with ballistic missiles, along with the launchers needed to fire them.
When pressed by reporters about the claims, Mr. Peskov declined to comment.
He parried, however, by noting that Kyiv was openly using Western-supplied arms and equipment to conduct regular strikes on Russia’s western Belgorod region.
In previous remarks, Moscow and Pyongyang have openly pledged to enhance bilateral cooperation in the military-technology field.
But they have also denied—or refrained from commenting on—any alleged transfer of weapons between them.
Speaking earlier this month, Mr. Kirby described purported arms deals between Russia and North Korea as a “significant escalation.”
He also warned that parties found facilitating such deals would be targeted by additional U.S. sanctions.
Moscow, for its part, said it will develop ties with whomever it wants, insisting that its stepped-up cooperation with Pyongyang doesn’t violate international agreements.
