The United States expressed alarm over growing military cooperation between Russia and North Korea after a Russian Air Force plane was spotted landing in North Korea earlier this month.
Mr. Shoigu, along with Chinese Communist Party Politburo member Li Hongzhong, were invited to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the end of the Korean War.
Mr. Shoigu’s visit to North Korea signaled growing military relations between the two nations, and the United States expressed concern about North Korea potentially aiding Russia in its ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
“We have made clear our concerns about North Korea seeking to assist Russia in its aggression in Ukraine. We will continue to make those concerns clear, and we will continue to enforce all of our sanctions,” he added.
The United States has accused North Korea of providing weapons to Russia for its war in Ukraine. Both countries have denied the U.S. claims.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has previously hinted that Mr. Shoigu’s visit to North Korea might be aimed at seeking military assistance for Russia.
“We’re seeing Russia desperately looking for support, for weapons wherever it can find them, to continue to prosecute its aggression against Ukraine. And we see that in North Korea.
Weapons-for-Food Deal
In March, the White House claimed that it obtained new information that Russia was planning to send a delegation to North Korea for talks to buy more weapons in exchange for food aid.On Jan. 20, Mr. Kirby said evidence suggested that North Korea supplied weapons to the Russian private military firm Wagner Group, pointing to images allegedly showing Russian railcars traveling to North Korea in November 2022.
North Korea has been facing food shortages and has been subjected to United Nations sanctions due to its missile and nuclear initiatives since 2006, which include a ban on the development of ballistic missiles.
In recent years, Russia and China have opposed U.S.-led efforts to impose more sanctions on North Korea over its pursuit of ballistic missiles, arguing existing measures should be eased for humanitarian purposes and to help entice it to negotiate.