Harris: N. Korea would 'pay a price' for supplying Russia with weapons

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris criticized the potential arms deal between North Korea and Russia, saying, “It is a huge mistake and will exacerbate the isolation of the two countries in the international community.”

Vice President Harris, while visiting Jakarta, Indonesia, to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, emphasized this in an interview with CBS News on Thursday (local time). “The idea that they would be supplying ammunition to that end, it would be a huge mistake," she said. "I also believe very strongly that for both Russia and North Korea, this will further isolate them.”

Vice President Harris assessed that Russia, which has been suffering from the prolonged war in Ukraine and a lack of supplies, is currently in a desperate situation. She pointed out that “they have already experienced a strategic failure.” During the invasion of Ukraine in February of last year, the Russian side was confident that they could “occupy the entire Ukraine in just a few days.” However, it turned out to be a complete misjudgment, and they are still engaged in the conflict.

On the same day, former U.S. Director of National Intelligence (DNI) North Korea official Sidney Seiler expressed concern that if Russia helps North Korea advance its conventional forces, North Korea’s nuclear threats could also escalate. Some noted that tensions across Northeast Asia are increasing, with the United States and its allies also likely to push for an Asian version of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) due to the close relationship between North Korea and Russia.


asap@donga.com