Seoul: Foreign ministers from more than 40 countries including Japan, the United States and South Korea have issued a joint statement condemning the use of North Korean ballistic missiles provided to Russia for attacking Ukraine, the South Korean foreign ministry said Wednesday.

“The transfer of these weapons increases the suffering of the Ukrainian people, supports Russia’s war of aggression, and undermines the global nonproliferation regime,” the foreign ministers said.

The ministers said, “We are deeply concerned about the security implications that this cooperation has in Europe, on the Korean Peninsula, across the Indo-Pacific region, and around the world.”

They said Russia’s use of North Korean ballistic missiles in Ukraine provides valuable technical and military insights to North Korea. The ministers added that they are closely monitoring what Russia provides to North Korea in return for these weapons.

JIJI Press