ANKARA

North Korea is planning to provide "assistance" to Hamas in its war against Israel, South Korea's spy agency claimed.

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) told the parliamentary intelligence committee during a closed-door audit session that there have been signs that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ordered officials to come up with measures to provide comprehensive assistance to Palestine, Seoul-based Yonhap News reported, citing Yoo Sang-bum, a lawmaker from the ruling People Power Party.

"North Korea appears to be trying to take advantage of the Israel-Hamas war in multiple ways," Yoo was cited as saying.

Last week, Israeli Ambassador to South Korea Akiva Tor said Tel Aviv knew that "North Korean-made weapons are in use by Hamas."

North Korea's ambassador to the UN, Kim Song, dismissed the report as "groundless rumors," accusing Washington of seeking to shift the blame for the war in the Middle East to "a third country."

According to the NIS, Pyongyang is believed to be in the final stage of preparations to carry out its third satellite launch following two failed attempts earlier this year.

North Korea was scheduled to try again in October, however, no such launch took place.

According to the NIS, Pyongyang appears to have received technological assistance from longtime ally Russia, and the "possibility of success could be higher."

The NIS claimed that North Korea is believed to have provided Russia with more than 1 million artillery rounds – enough for two months – and other weapons in 10 shipments since August in order to help Moscow with the war in Ukraine.