NATO's Jens Stoltenberg slams North Korea’s missile tests, calls them ‘reckless’

The West has often raised concerns about North Korea's nuclear weapons programme and its powerful missile tests and in the latest remarks, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has called it "reckless".

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin on Sunday (January 29) that they are concerned about North Korea's missile tests.

As quoted by news agencies, Stoltenberg said, "We are of course concerned about the reckless missile tests and the nuclear programmes of North Korea."

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Stoltenberg also weighed in on the Russia-Ukraine war, which caused food and fuel crises after it started last year in February. He noted that the war in Ukraine has ramifications for Asia.

He further claimed that the West is aware that North Korea is providing military support to the Russian war efforts with rockets and missiles.

Stoltenberg is currently on a multi-nation visit to Asian nations. He arrived in South Korea earlier on Sunday, the first stop on a trip. He will also visit Japan.

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North Korea denies claims that it provided Russia with arms

Meanwhile, North Korea has denied allegations that it providing arms to Moscow. This comes after the United States said that Pyongyang supplied rockets and missiles to Russia's private military group Wagner.

Official Korean Central News Agency reported that a senior official rejected the accusations. In a statement, the official said that the US would face a "really undesirable result" if it persisted in spreading the "self-made rumour".

Kwon Jong Gun, director general of the Department of US Affairs, said: "Trying to tarnish the image of (North Korea) by fabricating a non-existent thing is a grave provocation that can never be allowed and that cannot but trigger its reaction."

He said that it is "a foolish attempt" to justify its offer of weapons to Ukraine".

NATO's claims are not new, previously, the US accused North Korea.

Earlier this month, America even designated the Wagner group as a "transnational criminal organisation".The US underlined the group's weapons dealings with North Korea and said that it is in violation of UN Security Council resolutions.

AFP reported that the national security spokesman John Kirby said the White House showed US intelligence photographs of Russian rail cars entering North Korea, picking up a load of infantry rockets and missiles, and returning to Russia.

(With inputs from agencies)

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