The Kremlin, on Thursday, dismissed a joint statement from South Korea, the U.S. and Japan condemning arms deals between Russia and North Korea, saying it was "groundless and lacking evidence."

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov issued the position in a regular press briefing when asked about the joint statement issued by the top diplomats of the three nations.

Peskov said that there are numerous reports on the matter, but they are all groundless and lack substantial evidence. 

The spokesperson also described North Korea as "Russia's neighbor", and said that Moscow would continue to build close relations with Pyongyang across all sectors.

The remarks came after South Korean foreign minister Park Jin, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Japanese foreign minister Yoko Kamikawa issued a joint statement condemning North Korea’s provision of military equipment and munitions to Russia for its war against Ukraine. 

Additionally, the Kremlin also criticized the first-ever joint aerial exercise conducted by the three nations near the Korean Peninsula on Sunday, saying that it does not contribute to resolving issues on the peninsula.