MSMT Report on Unlawful North Korea-Russia Military Cooperation

Today at the United Nations, U.S. Department of State Director for Korean and Mongolian Affairs Seth Bailey briefed UN member states on the first Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) report, which focuses on unlawful military cooperation between North Korea and Russia.  Director Bailey detailed evidence of North Korea’s arms and materiel transfers to Russia, Russia’s transfer of military technology to North Korea, and Russia’s training of North Korean troops in Russia. 

Director Bailey shared the United States continues to support the complete denuclearization of North Korea and is determined to hold it accountable for its UN sanctions violations.  He noted the MSMT aims to continue publishing timely, globally relevant, and fact-based reports on North Korea’s UN sanctions violations across a range of topics.   

The MSMT, a mechanism established to monitor and report violations and evasions of United Nations sanctions on North Korea, was launched in 2024 after Russia vetoed the renewal of the UN 1718 Committee Panel of Experts mandate, which previously served this function.  Currently, the MSMT is comprised of 11 participating states:  Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States.  The May 29, 2025 report is available in English, Spanish, French, Russian, Chinese, and Arabic.  The MSMT welcomes interest from additional states to participate in the mechanism.