The ministry in charge of inter-Korean affairs said North Korea's denial of its arms trade with Russia despite clear evidence shows that the regime is aware that such activity is illegal.

At a press briefing on Friday, the unification ministry’s deputy spokesperson Kim In-ae said Pyongyang and Moscow's arms trade is a violation of UN Security Council(UNSC) sanctions and an illegal act that undermines international standards. She added that the unlawful arms trade must immediately stop.

Earlier, Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, issued a statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency(KCNA), saying the claims that North Korea is trading arms with Russia are “absurd.” 

The sister added that the regime's recently unveiled tactical weapons were developed solely for the purpose of targeting South Korea to deter it from engaging in "any idle thinking," an apparent reference to its combined military drills with the U.S.

In response to the North's claim that the allies' Ulchi Freedom Shield(UFS) joint exercise set for August will be training for a nuclear attack, the spokesperson urged the regime not to use the defensive drill as an excuse for provocations.