UPDATE - North Korea pledges to 'powerfully support and assist' Russian army until victory in Ukraine

ADDS MORE REMARKS BY RUSSIAN, NORTH KOREAN FOREIGN MINISTERS, CHANGES HEADLINE, DECK AND LEDE

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui pledged on Friday that her country would "powerfully support and assist the Russian army" until its victory in Ukraine.

Meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, Choe, who arrived in Russia on Wednesday to hold “strategic consultations,” said North Korean leader Kim Jong-un voiced strong support and assistance to Russia and its people from the very beginning of the "special military operation" in Ukraine.

"From the very beginning of the special military operation, the respected Chairman Kim Jong-un instructed us, without looking back, to consistently and powerfully support and assist the Russian army and the Russian people in their holy struggle," she said.

The visit came amid Western claims that North Korean soldiers are stationed in Russia to fight against Ukraine.

The North Korean diplomat said the West has been actively supplying Ukraine with all kind of weapons, "waging the war against Russia with Ukraine's hands" aimed at inflicting on Moscow "a strategic defeat."

Choe added that she had no doubt that Russia would win "in the struggle to protect the sovereign rights and security of state."

"We also assure that until the day of victory we will always stand firmly by our Russian comrades," she asserted.

The minister noted that strategic consultations in Moscow were organized to discuss questions arising in connection with bilateral political and diplomatic cooperation.

She said the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement between the two nations signed in June has already been put in practice, emphasizing that its significance is "increasing every day."

"I hope for a substantive discussion of the issues related to the consistent implementation of the historic (leaders') summit in Pyongyang," she said.

- North Korea will pursue development of nuclear weapons

Addressing recent reports about North Korea's test missiles launch, the diplomat said her country would continue to develop its defense capabilities.

The West's actions destabilized the region in general, and the US military cooperation with South Korea threatens the security of Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), she said.

Choe cited Kim, who recently said defense cooperation between the US and South Korea "is turning into a military alliance with a nuclear component," making the situation on the Korean peninsula "explosive," which is dangerous both for the peninsula and for the entire East Asia.

The minister noted that Washington and Seoul established a nuclear consultative group where they discuss striking North Korea with the use of the atomic bombs, only this year the US aircraft carrier strike groups were thrice deployed in the water areas around her country while US strategic bombers carried out at least five flights over it.

A submarine of the US Navy carrying out nuclear weapons also arrived in South Korea, she said, adding that all this is perceived as threats and challenges by Pyongyang.

"Yesterday, the respected chairman once again noted that threats and challenges require us to strengthen our strategic nuclear weapons and improve our readiness for a retaliatory nuclear strike. And I assure you once again that our country will in no case change its course to strengthen its nuclear forces," she stressed.

Lavrov, for his part, said Russia-North Korea cooperation in general and the Treaty on Strategic Partnership in particular have a "stabilizing effect" on the Eurasian continent.

Lavrov emphasized that the pact laid the ground for deepening cooperation in all spheres.

"The terms of the treaty are already being implemented for the benefit of the peoples of our countries, stability on the Korean peninsula, in Northeast Asia and on the Eurasian continent as a whole," he said.

The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement was signed during the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to North Korea on June 18-19. The document provides for the development of economic ties, military-technical cooperation, and mutual military assistance in case of an attack on one of the parties.