(123rf)

Ten countries, including South Korea, and the European Union (EU) expressed firm opposition Friday to the expanding arms transfers between North Korea and Russia, urging the two countries to stop the illegal activities meant to aid Moscow's war in Ukraine.

The countries made the call in a joint statement released under the names of their foreign ministers, affirming that the recent sanctions designated by each country in relation to the suspected arms deals represent "a coordinated effort" to hold Pyongyang and Moscow to account.

Australia, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand and the United States took part in the joint statement, besides South Korea and the EU.

"Our governments stand in resolute opposition to these continued arms transfers, which Russia has used to strike Ukraine's critical infrastructure, prolonging the suffering of the Ukrainian people," the joint statement read.

"We are gravely concerned by the deepening DPRK-Russia cooperation in flagrant violation of multiple United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions," it said.

DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name.

South Korea, the US and like-minded countries have suspected that the North has been supplying Moscow with ballistic missiles, munitions and other arms for use to attack Ukraine, in exchange for Russia's assistance in military technologies.

In response to the illegal arms transactions, the countries have imposed independent sanctions on North Korean and Russian individuals, entities and vessels suspected of involvement in the arms deals.

In the statement, the participants also condemned Russia's veto in late March of a UN resolution on extending the mandate of an experts' panel on monitoring the enforcement of UN sanctions against North Korea.

"Russia has sought to deprive all UN member states of the objective and independent information and guidance they need to implement binding UNSC resolutions concerning the DPRK, which all remain in effect," the statement said.

"We call on the DPRK and Russia to cease unlawful arms transfers and urge the DPRK to take concrete steps toward abandoning all nuclear weapons, ballistic missile and related programs in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner," it said.

They also urged Pyongyang to respond to offers to return to diplomacy, calling it the only path to enduring peace on the Korean Peninsula. (Yonhap)