Updated Oct. 13, 2023 at 9:22 a.m. ET
North Korea denied on Friday that the Hamas militant group used North Korean munitions in its surprise attack on Israel, accusing the United States of fabricating a false accusation against Pyongyang.
The denial published by the state-run Korean Central News Agency followed reporting this week by U.S.-based Radio Free Asia that cited video footage and experts as saying that Hamas may be using North Korean arms.
“The U.S. administration’s mouthpieces and pseudo-experts are spreading baseless, homegrown myths that ‘North Korean-made weapons’ were used in the attack on Israel,” said Ri Kwang-song, an analyst on international affairs, in an article carried by KCNA.
“What cannot be overlooked is that the U.S. is once again sticking to its malicious slander campaign against us in a bid to connect us to the latest conflict in the Middle East.”
RFA is funded by the U.S. Congress but retains editorial independence.
The RFA report cited a video shared on social media showing a Hamas fighter who appeared to be brandishing an F-7 high-explosive fragmentation rocket made in the North Korea.
RFA was not able to conclusively determine if the weapon was North Korean, but its shape closely resembled the F-7 as depicted in the North Korean Small Arms and Light Weapons Recognition Guide published in May by the Geneva-based Small Arms Survey research project.
Experts also said Palestinians have historically utilized North Korean armaments, which may have been purchased by Iran or Syria before being smuggled into the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.
Earlier this week, North Korea criticized Israel for the escalating conflict with Hamas, claiming that it is the “consequence of Israel's ceaseless criminal actions” against the Palestinian people.
Hamas launched rockets against Israel and attacked civilian targets from the ground during a Jewish holiday last weekend, and Israel responded with retaliatory strikes, which has led to the deaths or injuries of thousands of people on both sides.
Edited by Elaine Chan and Matthew Pennington
Updated to add details and context about RFA’s funding, editorial independence.