North Korea: Russia has right to exercise self-defense against Ukraine 

Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov and North Korean Defense Minister No Kwang Chol watch a welcome ceremony at Pyongyang Sunan International Airport, North Korea, in this image from video, Nov. 29, 2024. (Russian Defense Ministry/Reuters)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has told the Russian defense minister that Ukraine's use of long-range weapons is the result of direct military intervention by the United States and that Moscow is entitled to fight in self-defense, state media said Saturday.