N. Korea slams US for raising alleged arms supply to Russia

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea on Tuesday accused the United States of cooking up a “plot-breeding story” on its alleged arms transfer to Russia, arguing it has never sent artillery shells to Moscow.

Last week, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby accused North Korea of covertly supplying a “significant number” of the ammunitions to Russia. He said the United States believes North Korea was trying to obscure the transfer route by making it appear the weapons were being sent to countries in the Middle East or North Africa.

“We regard such moves of the U.S. as part of its hostile attempt to tarnish the image of (North Korea) in the international arena," an unidentified vice director at the ministry’s military foreign affairs office said in a statement carried by state media.

“We once again make clear that we have never had ‘arms dealings’ with Russia and that we have no plan to do so in the future,” the vice director said.