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Image source, Reuters
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un stands in front of a long-range artillery sub-unit this month. It is not known if this is a weapon sought by Russia
By Antoinette Radford
BBC News
Russia is sending a delegation to North Korea to offer food in exchange for weapons, US national security spokesperson John Kirby has said.
Mr Kirby said any arms deal between North Korea and Russia would violate UN Security Council resolutions.
The US has previously accused North Korea of supplying arms to the Russian military in Ukraine and the Wagner group of Russia mercenaries.
Pyongyang has previously denied the claims.
Mr Kirby told a news conference the US had new information about a deal.
"We also understand that Russia is seeking to send a delegation in North Korea and that Russia is offering North Korea food in exchange for munitions," he said.
Mr Kirby said the US was monitoring the situation, and the alleged deal, closely.
Earlier on Thursday, the US Treasury blacklisted a Slovakian man for acting as a broker between Russia and North Korea.
The treasury said Ashot Mkrtychev, 56, had arranged sales and organise deals that would enable North Korea to ship weapons to Russia in late 2022 and early 2023.
In return Pyongyang received cash, commercial aircraft, commodities and raw materials, they said.
Featuring on the sanctions blacklist means American businesses cannot have dealings with Mr Mkrtychev, and it freezes his US assets.
English (US)