NK weekly-external news

Summary of external news of North Korea this week

SEOUL, Aug. 4 (Yonhap) -- The following is a summary of external news of North Korea this week.

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N. Korea considering providing military support to Russia: NSC

WASHINGTON -- North Korea is considering providing additional military support to Russia, including munitions to be used in the latter's ongoing war in Ukraine, a National Security Council (NSC) official said Thursday.

John Kirby, NSC coordinator for strategic communications, said the U.S. will continue to expose and sanction efforts to assist Russia's illegal war against Ukraine.

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U.S. working to bring Travis King home but N. Korea remains unresponsive: Blinken

WASHINGTON -- The United States is working to learn more about the safety of a U.S. service member who crossed into North Korea last month, but the reclusive state has yet to offer any response, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday.

The top U.S. diplomat added that the U.S. is also working to bring the U.S. soldier home safely.

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Groups urge discussion on issue of abductees, detainees in N. Korea at Camp David summit

SEOUL -- Civic groups on North Korea's human rights said Wednesday they have sent an open letter to President Yoon Suk Yeol calling for discussing the issue of abductees and detainees in the North during his upcoming summit with the leaders of the United States and Japan at Camp David.

The letter called for the leaders to discuss the issues of South Korean prisoners of the 1950-53 Korean War, abductees, including Japanese nationals, and detainees in North Korea as part of the summit agenda and include them in a joint summit statement.

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(LEAD) Possible weapons trade between Russia, N. Korea shows difficulties facing Moscow: Pentagon

WASHINGTON -- The potential weapons trade between North Korea and Russia demonstrates the dire situation Russia finds itself in amid its ongoing war against Ukraine, a Pentagon spokesperson said Tuesday.

Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder made the remark after a news report suggested that North Korea may be sending weapons to Russia.

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S. Korea renews call for immediate halt to 'illicit' arms trade with N. Korea

SEOUL -- South Korea's defense ministry called Monday for an "immediate" halt to any arms transactions with North Korea, decrying them as "illicit," as a media report showed new signs of weapons dealings between Pyongyang and Moscow.

The Financial Times reported Saturday that Ukraine has been firing North Korean rockets -- seized from a ship by a "friendly" country -- against Russia, with Kyiv's defense ministry suggesting they were taken from Russian forces.

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