North Korea is pushing ahead with its nuclear weapons programme in spite of international sanctions, according to an internal UN report.
Pyongyang has “maintained and developed its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, in violation of UN Security Council resolutions,” according to a report from a UN panel of experts.
Even though during 2020 no nuclear or ballistic missile tests were registered, North Korea still “produced fissile material, maintained nuclear facilities and upgraded its ballistic missile infrastructure.”
The rogue nuclear nation also continued to seek material and technology from overseas for those programmes, the report says.
The report added that the nuclear programme was apparently financed in part by hacking activities that are directly led by the North Korean secret services.
This included targeting “virtual assets and virtual asset service providers” as well as attacking defence companies, the expert panel wrote.
In addition, ruler Kim Jong Un circumvents UN sanctions on, among other things, illicit imports of processed petroleum by transferring the goods between ships at sea.
The country also exported coal in 2020, in spite sanctions prohibiting the trade.
North Korea held an eight-day party congress in January as well as a military parade in which the country’s ballistic missiles – including ones that can be fired from a submarine – were on display.
The show of force came shortly before U.S. President Joe Biden was inaugurated on Jan. 20.
New U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said recently that more sanctions could be applied in coordination with allies, although he also spoke about pursuing diplomatic avenues.
Washington’s negotiations with North Korea over its nuclear weapons programme have not made any progress since former President Donald Trump’s failed summit with the North Korean leader in Vietnam in February 2019.
Although Trump touted his friendly relationship with Kim, the two sides failed to agree on a roadmap for North Korea’s disarmament and what Pyongyang could receive in return.
The internationally isolated country is subject to tough UN Security Council sanctions over its nuclear programme. The U.S. has also imposed its own set of sanctions. (dpa/NAN)
