US, allies condemn North Korea's alleged ballistic missile transfers to Russia

Nearly 50 countries joined the United States in condemning North Korea's alleged transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia, calling for an immediate end to the delivery of weapons.

"Our governments stand together in resolute opposition to arms transfers between the DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] and Russia," the U.S. State Department said in a joint statement on January 9.

"The transfer of ballistic missiles, along with any other arms and related materiel, from the DPRK to Russia flagrantly violates multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions," the statement added.

The joint declaration from the 48 Western countries and the European Union, comes as U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on January 9 that Russia had fired more such weapons at Ukraine, including one that landed in Kharkiv on January 6.

U.S. officials have previously warned that North Korea has provided Russia with launchers and several dozen ballistic missiles, with North Korean weaponry having allegedly been used to target Ukrainian civilians.

On December 30, 2022, Russian forces allegedly launched at least one of the North Korean-supplied missiles into Ukraine with the missiles landing in an open field in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, while on Jan. 2 Russia used North Korean ballistic missiles to strike Ukraine as part of its overnight mass attack that killed five people and injured 130 more.

Western allies fear Russia will transfer advanced technology and weaponry to North Korea in exchange for arming Russia as it continues its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In September 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Russia's far-eastern Amur Oblast to formalize an alleged agreement to help North Korea "launch its own satellites and rockets".