North Korea on Saturday strongly criticized a joint statement issued by South Korea and the European Union that condemned Pyongyang's military ties with Russia during the Ukraine war. The statement, adopted on Wednesday during South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's visit to Brussels, denounced the illegal military cooperation between North Korea and Russia.
Joint Statement Condemns Military Support
The joint statement declared, 'We condemn support by third parties, in particular the DPRK, which enable Russia to sustain its war of aggression against Ukraine,' using the acronym for North Korea's official name. In response, North Korea's foreign ministry asserted that cooperation with Russia is an exercise of sovereign rights and described the joint statement as a clear infringement on the sovereignty of our state and a grave hostile act.
North Korea's Harsh Response
The ministry's statement, carried by the official Korean Central News Agency, reiterated that South Korea is the North's primary enemy state. It further characterized Seoul as Washington's favorite dagger in its alleged aim of invading the Asian continent. This appears to reference remarks by General Xavier Brunson, the top American military official in South Korea, who compared his host nation last month to 'the dagger in the heart of Asia.'
Both North Korea and its ally China have previously denounced Brunson's remarks, arguing they reflect Washington's strategy to contain Beijing. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has strengthened his alliance with Russia's Vladimir Putin by sending troops and munitions to support Moscow's war effort. Kim recently hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping in Pyongyang, following Xi's consecutive summits in Beijing with US President Donald Trump and Putin.
