North Korea Protests Seoul-EU Rebuke of Russia Ties

By AFP June 13, 2026 KIM WON JIN / AFP North Korea denounced on Saturday a joint statement by South Korea and the European Union that condemned Pyongyang's military ties with Russia throughout the war in Ukraine. The statement, adopted on Wednesday during South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's visit to Brussels, decried the “illegal military cooperation” between Pyongyang and Moscow. “We condemn support by third parties, in particular the DPRK, which enables Russia to sustain its war of aggression against Ukraine,” the statement said. North Korea's foreign ministry said in response that cooperation with Russia was an “exercise of sovereign rights,” and the joint statement a “clear infringement on the sovereignty of our state and a grave hostile act.” The ministry's statement, carried by the official Korean Central News Agency, reiterated that South Korea was the North's primary “enemy state.” It went on to describe Seoul as Washington's “favorite dagger” in its alleged aim of "invading... the Asian continent.” This was an apparent reference to remarks by the top American military official in South Korea, General Xavier Brunson, who compared his host nation last month to “the dagger in the heart of Asia.” Both North Korea and its ally China have previously denounced Brunson's remarks, saying they reflected Washington's strategy to contain Beijing. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has boosted an alliance with Russia's Vladimir Putin by sending troops and munitions to aid Moscow's war. Read more about: North Korea , European Union , South Korea Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more North Korea Sent More Troops and Weapons to Russia, South Korea’s Military Says Of the initial 11,000 North Korean soldiers reportedly sent to Russia, 4,000 are believed to have been killed or wounded, according to Seoul. 1 Min read North Korea Troop Deployment Locks in Russia Military Alliance North Korea's decision to deploy thousands of soldiers to Ukraine pulls Russia deeper into Korean peninsula security, experts say. 3 Min read North Korea Shipped 13K Containers Suspected of Carrying Arms to Russia – Yonhap The containers had the capacity to hold more than 6 million 152-millimeter artillery shells, according to a South Korean military intelligence report. 1 Min read South Korea Summons Russian Ambassador Over Pyongyang Defense Pact Seoul "strongly urged Russia to immediately stop military cooperation with North Korea and comply with [UN] Security Council resolutions." 2 Min read