A North Korean representative delivers a remark during a session of the UN General Assembly First Committee on disarmament and international security in New York on Monday. (UN Web TV)
North Korea on Monday dismissed as "groundless rumors" the accusations from South Korea and Ukraine that it is sending soldiers to fight alongside Russia in the war in Ukraine, arguing that its relations with Moscow are "legitimate and cooperative."
It was the first public comment from a North Korean official since South Korea's spy agency last week said the North had decided to send around 12,000 troops to fight Russia's war in Ukraine, and it had already dispatched 1,500 soldiers to Vladivostok for adaptation training.
"As for the so-called military cooperation with Russia, my delegation does not feel any need for comment on such groundless stereotyped rumors aimed at smearing the image of the DPRK and undermining the legitimate, friendly and cooperative relations between two sovereign states," a North Korean representative to the United Nations said during a session of the UN General Assembly First Committee on disarmament and international security.
His remark came in response to the Ukrainian envoy accusing Pyongyang of planning to soon send 11,000 regular troops to help Russia's war efforts in Ukraine.
North Korea's state media have remained silent about the reports of troop deployment.
On Monday, the Kremlin declined to confirm the reports about the North Korean troops and instead criticized how South Korea's claims are not echoed by the United States, its ally.
Washington has not confirmed the alleged troop deployment and only issued comments that it would be concerning if it were true.
In a separate UN Security Council meeting Monday, South Korean Ambassador to the UN Hwang Joon-kook called for an immediate halt to the growing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia that is potentially making the North "an active belligerent in warfare."
"We are well aware that North Korea is a habitual violator of international norms and Security Council resolutions. However, recent actions by Pyongyang have even surprised us," Hwang said.
He denounced Russia for "taking a gamble" out of desperation by involving a third country in its aggression.
"It is hard to believe that a permanent member of the Security Council would take such a gamble and shift the course of the war," Hwang said. "Russia and North Korea must immediately stop violating international obligations." (Yonhap)
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