China’s Foreign Ministry on Monday denied reports originating in Japanese media that 150,000 troops had been moved to the Chinese border with North Korea.

Speaking at a daily press conference in Beijing, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying told reporters she was not aware of any additional soldiers being deployed to the DPRK’s borders.

“There were similar reports by the Yonhap News Agency in the past, which were proved groundless and false in the end. I’m wondering where you got this information,” Hua said.

A story from South Korea’s conservative Chosun Ilbo newspaper published on Monday claimed the Tokyo-based Sankei Shinbun