North Korea has vehemently rejected a report by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Group (MSMT), a Western sanctions monitoring body, which accuses Pyongyang of engaging in “illegal” military cooperation with Russia. The report, released last week, alleges that North Korea has been transferring arms to Russia, deploying troops, and providing financial assistance, all of which are said to violate UN Security Council resolutions aimed at curbing North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs.
Pyongyang has retaliated by calling the report a “political provocation” and a “fabrication,” and has accused the MSMT of being a “ghost group without any legitimacy” that operates in accordance with the geopolitical interests of the West. The country’s Foreign Affairs Ministry has stated that military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang is a “legitimate exercise of sovereign rights” aimed at protecting the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and security interests of both countries, as well as ensuring peace and stability in the Eurasian region.
The MSMT report is based on data from its 11 members and open-source intelligence, and claims that the alleged military cooperation between Russia and North Korea is a clear violation of international law. However, North Korea has insisted that its cooperation with Moscow is in accordance with the UN Charter, and that the MSMT report is a “flagrant violation of the international legal principles of sovereign equality and non-interference in internal affairs.”
The tensions between North Korea and the MSMT come amid heightened diplomatic activity between Moscow and Pyongyang. In June 2024, the two countries signed the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement, which includes a clause providing for military and other assistance in the event of armed invasion of either side. The agreement has sparked concerns among Western nations, which have accused Russia and North Korea of attempting to circumvent international sanctions and undermine global security.
The MSMT group was created last October after the disbandment of the UN Panel of Experts on DPRK, which had monitored the implementation of UN sanctions on North Korea until a Russian veto ended its mandate. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has called the MSMT “illegal,” saying it was created by “uninvited enthusiasts bypassing the UN Security Council” who “demonstrate blatant disregard for international law.” For now, Moscow has not commented on the MSMT report, but the diplomatic fallout is likely to continue in the coming days and weeks.
