'Groundless': North Korea dismisses reports of supplying weapons to Russia's Wagner group

North Korea has denied reports that suggest Pyongyang has been supplying arms to Russia's Wagner group amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. North Korea's foreign ministry called the allegation "groundless", according to North Korea's KCNA news agency. Pyongyang was referring to a media report by Japan's Tokyo Shimbun that has claimed that North Korea is supplying munitions to Russia by using trains. The report adds that more armaments will be transported in the coming weeks. 

"The Japanese media's false report that the DPRK offered munitions to Russia is the most absurd red herring, which is not worth any comment or interpretation," a statement from the ministry read, as per a report from Nikkei Asia. North Korea went on to denounce the US, for sending arms to Ukraine. The US has also backed the claim that the report by Tokyo Shimbun made. White House has said that North Korea has supplied arms to the Wagner group, to aid Russia's war effort in Ukraine. According to the report from Nikkei, spokesperson for the National Security Council, John Kirby said that "we can confirm that North Korea has completed an initial arms delivery to Wagner, which paid for that equipment". 

Is this the 1st time such information has emerged?

This is not the first time when a report about North Korea supplying arms to Russia has emerged. Back in November, Stimson centre's The 38 North Project, which monitors developments in North Korea, said that a train from North Korea had carried arms into Russia. Stimson centre is a think tank based in Washington DC. The think tank said that it was the first time in several years that a movement was being observed in the railway line. 

A report by the think tank published on 12th December reads that "satellite imagery indicates goods have been delivered from Russia into North Korea’s heavily secured railway yard at Tumangang. In late November and early December, unloaded cargo has been observed sitting alongside trains at least twice. This activity comes about a month after the first train was observed crossing the bridge between the two countries in several years". North Korea and America consider each other geopolitical threats. North Korea's interests seldom converge with American interests.