UN: North Korea developing nuke missile programs

North Korea continued developing its nuclear and ballistic missile programs during the first half of 2021 in violation of international sanctions and despite the country's worsening economic situation, according to an excerpt of a confidential United Nations report seen by Reuters on Friday. 

The report by a panel of independent sanctions monitors to the UN Security Council North Korea sanctions committee said Pyongyang "continued to seek material and technology for these programmes overseas."

"Despite the country's focus on its worsening economic travails, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea continued to maintain and develop its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes," the sanctions monitors concluded.

North Korea has been subjected to UN sanctions since 2006 over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. The Security Council has steadily strengthened sanctions in a bid to cut off funding for the programs.

The monitors said they were continuing to investigate North Korea's involvement in global cyber activity. The UN sanctions monitors have previously reported that North Korea has stolen hundreds of millions of dollars using cyberattacks.