South Korea and Japan unveiled separate sanctions packages on Friday, targeting organizations, vessels, or individuals suspected of delivering North Korean weapons to Russia for use in Ukraine, in contravention of UN resolutions.
South Korea accuses Pyongyang of transferring thousands of munitions containers to Russia, and experts believe Pyongyang’s recent testing spree may have included weaponry intended for deployment on Ukrainian battlefields.
In August, the US Treasury Department slapped similar sanctions, claiming that Russia was depleting its armaments and losing heavy equipment in Ukraine, leaving Moscow to rely on its few friends, like Pyongyang.
Yoshimasa Hayashi, Japan’s top government spokesperson, stated Friday that the country strongly condemns the alleged deals.
“We have cooperated with allies like the United States to freeze the assets of 11 groups and one individual involved in the Russia-North Korea military assistance meant to support Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine”, Hayashi continued.
“It violates the UN security resolutions that categorically ban the transfer with North Korea of weapons and related materials”, Hayashi claimed.
According to the report, nine of the groups and one individual were in Russia, while the other two organizations, located in Cyprus, allegedly assisted in the transportation of weapons from North Korea.
South Korea also imposed sanctions on two Russian boats and seven North Koreans on Friday for an array of reasons, including alleged military supply trade between Moscow and Pyongyang.
Seoul’s foreign ministry released a statement stating that the ships were carrying a large quantity of containers between Russia and North Korea transporting military supplies.
Pyongyang denied last week that it was transferring weapons to Russia, saying “it had no intention to export our military technical capabilities to any country”.
The mainly isolated state has recently strengthened ties with Moscow.
Last month, North Korea applauded Russia for using its UN Security Council veto to prevent the renewal of a panel of experts overseeing international sanctions against leader Kim Jong Un’s dictatorship.
Seoul claimed Friday that one of the newly sanctioned North Koreans was allegedly involved in discussions to broker weaponry deals with a member of Russia’s Wagner group between 2022 and 2023.
“Another was transferring diesel, a crucial resource for Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile development programmes, from Russia into North Korea”, the statement reads.
Five more North Koreans earned foreign currency as IT workers while living illegally in Vladivostok to help fund Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programmes.
Friday’s revelations come only days before South Korean, Japanese, and Chinese leaders meet in Seoul for their first trilateral meeting in over five years.
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