North Korea Developing Ability To Manufacture Nuclear Device Components: UN Experts

North Korea has continued to develop its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes including its capability to produce nuclear device components in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, UN experts said in a new report.

The panel of experts said in the executive summary of the report obtained Saturday night by The Associated Press that there was 바카라�a marked acceleration바카라� of Pyongyang's testing and demonstration of new short-range and possibly medium-range missiles through January, 바카라�incorporating both ballistic and guidance technologies and using both solid and liquid propellants바카라�.

바카라�New technologies tested included a possible hypersonic guiding warhead and a maneuverable re-entry vehicle,바카라� the panel said.

North Korea also demonstrated 바카라�increased capabilities for rapid deployment, wide mobility (including at sea), and improved resilience of its missile forces.바카라�

The experts said North Korea 바카라�continued to seek material, technology and know-how for these programmes overseas, including through cyber means and joint scientific research바카라�.

A year ago, the panel said North Korea had modernised its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles by flaunting United Nations sanctions, using cyberattacks to help finance its programmes and continuing to seek material and technology overseas for its arsenal including in Iran.

바카라�Cyberattacks, particularly on cryptocurrency assets, remain an important revenue source바카라� for Kim Jong Un's government, the experts monitoring the implementation of sanctions against the North said in the new report.

In recent months, North Korea has launched a variety of weapons systems and threatened to lift the four-year moratorium on more serious weapons tests such as nuclear explosions and ICBM launches. January saw a record nine missile launches, and other weapons it recently tested include a developmental hypersonic missile and a submarine-launched missile.

The Security Council initially imposed sanctions on North Korea after its first nuclear test explosion in 2006 and made them tougher in response to further nuclear tests and the country's increasingly sophisticated nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.

The panel of experts said North Korea's blockade aimed at preventing COVID-19  resulted in 바카라�historically low levels바카라� of people and goods entering and leaving the country. Legal and illegal trade including in luxury goods 바카라�has largely ceased바카라� though cross-border rail traffic resumed in early January, it said.

The panel has previously made clear that North Korea remains able to evade sanctions and to illicitly import refined petroleum, access international banking channels and carry out 바카라�malicious cyber activities바카라�.

UN sanctions ban North Korean coal exports and the experts said in the new report that although coal exports by sea increased in the second half of 2021, 바카라�they were still at relatively low levels바카라�.

바카라�The quantity of illicit imports of refined petroleum increased sharply in the same period, but at a much lower level than in previous years,바카라� the panel said, adding that direct deliveries by non-North Korea tankers has ceased and only tankers from the North delivered oil, 바카라�a marked change of methodology바카라� probably in response to COVID-19 measures.

The experts said North Korea also continues to evade maritime sanctions 바카라�by deliberately obfuscated financial and ownership networks바카라�.

While the humanitarian situation in the country continues to worsen, the panel said the almost complete lack of information from the country makes it difficult to determine the 바카라�unintended humanitarian consequences of UN sanctions affecting the civilian population바카라�.