North Korea Denounces Report on Military Ties With Russia

The Government of North Korea denounced a report by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) detailing extensive illegal military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow. North Korean officials characterized the MSMT as a "bogus group" and a "phantom group" lacking legitimacy, asserting that its military ties with Russia are a legitimate exercise of sovereign rights under a mutual defense treaty and the UN Charter.

The MSMT report alleges that North Korea supplied Russia with approximately 14,000 troops, 9 million rounds of artillery, and at least 100 ballistic missiles used to target civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. In exchange, Russia reportedly provided refined oil, air defense equipment, electronic warfare systems, and data to improve North Korean missile performance. While both nations have denied these transfers, Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged in April that North Korean soldiers fought to recover territory in the Kursk region.

Established in October 2024 by 11 UN members, including the United States and South Korea, the MSMT replaced a previous UN sanctions panel that was disbanded following a Russian veto. The Government of South Korea defended the MSMT's legitimacy, stating that the military cooperation is a "clear violation" of legally binding UN Security Council resolutions. North Korea warned of "negative consequences" and the possibility of "powerful countermeasures" in response to what it termed as provocative acts by Western powers.