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WASHINGTON – Russia send delegates to North Korea (North Korea) to offer food in exchange for weapons. This was disclosed by a spokesman for the national security of the United States (US), John Kirby.
Kirby said any arms deal between North Korea and Russia would violate UN Security Council resolutions.
The US has previously accused North Korea of supplying weapons to the Russian military in Ukraine and the Russian mercenary group Wagner. But Pyongyang has denied the claim.
In a news conference, Kirby said the US had new information about the deal.
“We also understand that Russia is trying to send a delegation to North Korea and that Russia is offering food to North Korea in exchange for ammunition,” he said.
The security spokesman said the US was monitoring the situation, and the alleged deal, closely.
North Korea is one of the poorest countries in the world and has experienced chronic food shortages for decades, including a devastating famine in the mid to late 1990s.
In February, experts warned the country, which has one of the world’s most authoritarian governments, was facing a critical food crisis due to a significant drop in production – exacerbated by bad weather, tight border controls and the effects of international sanctions.
Satellite images from South Korean authorities show that North Korea produced 180,000 tons less food in 2022 than in 2021.
