US 'concerned' over reports of Russia-North Korea nuclear cooperation

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

US ‘concerned’ over reports of Russia-North Korea nuclear cooperation

National security adviser Jake Sullivan makes comments as Biden welcomes leaders of Japan and South Korea to security summit

Léonie Chao-Fong and agency
Fri 18 Aug 2023 16.56 BST
First published on Fri 18 Aug 2023 15.29 BST

The United States is “concerned” about the national security implications of North Korea and Russia reportedly cooperating on nuclear missile technology, the Biden administration said, as the US welcomed the leaders of Japan and South Korea to Camp David on Friday for an unprecedented trilateral summit.

The US, Japan and South Korea agreed to a new security pledge committing the three countries to consult with each other in the event of a security crisis or threat in the Pacific, according to the Biden administration.

Details about the new “duty to consult” commitment emerged as Joe Biden welcomed South Korea’s president, Yoon Suk Yeol, and Japan’s prime minister, Fumio Kishida, for the summit at the presidential retreat in Maryland.

-snip-

At a press conference earlier, the US national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, was asked about a report from the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies that the latest inter-continental ballistic missiles that North Korea, also known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), has been showing off may rely on Russian nuclear technology.

Sullivan said: “We are concerned about the relationship, including the technology and security relationship, between Russia and the DPRK.”

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/18/us-japan-south-korea-security-pledge-china

Non-walled link: https://archive.li/aBGYa

[Shermann]

1. Russia could really use this as leverage

You arm Ukraine, we arm North Korea!

These aren't equivalent, but we have provided offensive weapons. They would need to admit to this to use it as a negotiating tactic, which they haven't done. So, I'm not sure what Russia's long game is.

Proxy nuclear wars are bad, mkay?

[Grins]

3. My first thought..

The reason Russia may have done this is to get conventional munitions they need in Ukraine. I don’t think Russia cares one whit for North Korea’s #1 crackpot.

My first thought, if we had better messaging, was to use this as a stick in the eye to the Republicans in Congress and their enablers like Tucker Carlson.

Why should we support Ukraine? Because they are fighting the guy who gave advanced nuclear weaponry to our enemy, an insane, narcissistic, brutal dictator who constantly threatens the U.S. and our allies.

“You OK with that, Republicans…?”

[keithbvadu2]

2. Maybe Dotard could send Rocketman a love letter?

Then again, Trump would send two love letters, one to his master Vlad as well.

[soryang]

4. ICBM tech transfer disputed by 38North

Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover: North Korea’s HS-18 Is Not a Russian ICBM
https://www.38north.org/2023/08/dont-judge-a-book-by-its-cover-north-kor...