North Korea denies supplying weapons for Russia’s Ukraine war as US imposes new sanctions

North Korea has rejected as a “false rumour” claims that it is delivering weapons for Russia’s war in Ukraine, despite mounting evidence and a large body of intelligence reports pointing to the fact that Pyongyang has become one of Vladimir Putin’s main arms suppliers.

The statement from Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, came as the United States imposed fresh sanctions on Russian individuals and companies for facilitating the transfer of North Korean arms.

Ms Kim described reports of North Korean arms exports as an “absurd paradox” meant for “misleading the public opinion”, according to state media agency KCNA.

The US and South Korea have said there is compelling evidence to suggest that the Russians are using weapons supplied by North Korea in large numbers in Ukraine. This includes analysis of missile debris found in the northeastern Kharkiv region which, Ukrainian officials said, showed the weapon likely came from North Korea.

The US on Thursday sanctioned three Russian companies and two individuals it claimed are “connected to the transfer of military equipment and components” from North Korea.

The US Treasury claimed the Kremlin has used more than 40 ballistic missiles from North Korea in its attacks in Ukraine as well as other munitions, a clear breach of United Nations Security Council resolutions.

Ms Kim denied such claims outright. “The hostile forces are misleading public opinion with a false rumour that the weapon systems produced by the DPRK are ‘for export to Russia’,” Ms Kim said on Friday, referring to her country by its official name, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

“We have no intention to export our military technical capabilities to any country or open them to the public.”

She directed her wrath at South Korea, with the kind of bombastic threat that has come to characterise the Kim regime’s public statements regarding its southern neighbour. “We don’t conceal the fact that such weapons will be used to prevent Seoul from inventing any idle thinking,” she said.

South Korea responded that it is ready to repel any military threat from North Korea in alliance with the US.

Kim Inae, a government spokesperson, also reiterated that "illegal" arms dealings between North Korea and Russia must be stopped immediately.

North Korea has shipped about 7,000 containers filled with munitions to Russia since last year, South Korean defence minister Shin Wonsik said in March. In return, he added, Pyongyang received over 9,000 Russian containers likely filled with aid.

In January, US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said missiles supplied by North Korea had been fired in Ukraine.

In May, the White House also said that Russia was shipping refined petroleum to North Korea at levels that exceed UN Security Council limits.

North Korea’s strategic partnership with Moscow has deepened significantly since Mr Kim travelled to Russia for a rare foreign visit last year. North Korean state media reported in January that Mr Putin will return the favour and visit Pyongyang “at an early date” soon, though there have been no updates on the matter from the Kremlin since.