TOKYO, November 11. /TASS/. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s statements about relations between Pyongyang and Moscow are escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula and in the region, North Korea’s Foreign Ministry said.

"Blinken’s irresponsible and provocative remarks and actions are only raising dangerous military and political tensions on the Korean Peninsula and in the region," the ministry pointed out in a statement to the press released by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The ministry noted that during his recent Asian tour, Blinken had expressed "groundless concerns about the development of equal and normal relations between North Korea and Russia." "It once again made it clear to us that the current US administration pathologically dislikes the development of relations between independent and sovereign states," the document said.

According to the North Korean Foreign Ministry, if the US is really concerned about the security of South Korea and Ukraine, it should "pay more attention to the security-related issues and concerns of North Korea and Russia." "The only way for the US to address its concerns is to abandon its hostile policy and Cold War mentality with regard to Korea and Russia, end political provocations, military blackmail and strategic pressure on us and Russia," the North Korean Foreign Ministry said. It emphasized that the development of equal and mutually beneficial relations between Pyongyang and Moscow "plays a pivotal role in protecting peace and stability not only on the Korean Peninsula and in the region but also across the globe."

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on several occasions during a trip to Japan and South Korea that Washington and its allies were concerned about military cooperation between Russia and North Korea. He also once again accused Pyongyang of providing weapons and ammunition to Moscow. Earlier, top Russian diplomat Sergey Lavrov rejected as rumors Washington’s allegations that Pyongyang was providing military assistance to Moscow. On October 26, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on reports of alleged North Korean weapons supplies to Russia. According to him, "there are many such reports but as a rule, they are all groundless and there are no specifics.".