One of North Korea's top military officials has criticized the United States for allowing Ukraine to use US-supplied weapons to attack Russian territory from across the border.
Pak Jong Chon, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party of Korea, released a statement via the Korean Central News Agency on Monday.
The statement refers to Washington's decision to allow Kyiv to use US weapons for limited strikes inside Russian territory for the defense of eastern Ukraine.
Pak said the US move will inevitably provoke a stronger response from Russia, "resulting in an all-out military conflict with Russia and a new world war, the worst-ever consequences."
He went on to stress North Korea's stance in siding with Moscow, saying "it will be a just action for legitimate self-defense" for Russia to make a strategic counterattack.
Pak attended the summit on June 19 between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin, who visited the North for the first time in 24 years.
Pak's statement is apparently intended to underscore the growing military ties between Moscow and Pyongyang.
During Putin's visit, the two leaders signed a new treaty that includes a pledge for mutual military support.