North Korea slams Blinken’s ‘provocative’ comments on Pyongyang-Moscow ties

North Korea has slammed US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s hostile comments on Pyongyang’s ties with Moscow, saying the remarks were “irresponsible and provocative.”

Blinken said on Thursday he shared South Korea’s concerns about growing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, which he called “growing and dangerous.”

“This is a matter of deep concern for both of us, as well as for other countries around the world,” he said at a press conference in Seoul after meeting with South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin.

Blinken also accused Russia of providing “technology and support” for North Korea’s military programs.

“We have real concerns about any support for North Korea’s ballistic missile programs, for its nuclear technology, for its space launch capacity,” he said.

North Korea’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday that Blinken’s comments only “intensify political and military tensions” on the Korean peninsula, North Korea’s state media KCNA reported.

“The US should be accustomed to the new reality of the DPRK-Russia relations,” the statement said.

The ministry described the Moscow-Pyongyang relation as “friendly and cooperative,” asserting that it will “steadily grow stronger.”

“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.”