SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korea’s foreign ministry condemned U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s comments on North Korea-Russia relations and said they only intensify political and military tensions on the Korean peninsula, North Korea’s state media KCNA reported on Saturday.
Blinken said on Thursday he shared South Korean concerns about growing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, which he called a “two-way street” involving arms flows and technical support.
“The U.S. should be accustomed to the new reality of the DPRK-Russia relations,” North Korea’s foreign ministry said. DPRK are the initials of the North’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
“No matter what others may say, the friendly and cooperative relations between the DPRK and Russia aspiring after independence, peace and friendship will steadily grow stronger,” the statement added.
(Reporting by Heekyong Yang and Josh Smith; Editing by Chris Reese and Sandra Maler)
