By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS – North Korea continues to develop nuclear and missile capabilities. According to Reuters, cyberattacks against cryptocurrency exchanges have been a major source of revenue for Pyongyang. This is according to an extract from a classified United Nations report that was seen by Reuters on Saturday.

On Friday, the U.N. Security Council North Korea sanctions committee received the annual report of independent sanctions monitors.

The experts stated that even though no nuclear test or launch of ICBMs (intercontinental missiles), was reported by DPRK, the DPRK continues to improve its ability for producing nuclear fisile material.”

North Korea, officially known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea or DPRK. The U.N. Security Council has for years banned North Korea from carrying out nuclear testing and missile launches.

According to the report, “maintenance and development DPRK’s nuclear and ballistic missile infrastructura continued”

North Korea was subject to U.N. sanction since 2006. The Security Council strengthened these sanctions over time to help Pyongyang target funds for its nuclear and missile programs.

Monitoring the sanctions found that Pyongyang had “markedly increased” its missile testing.

The United States and others said https://www.reuters.com/world/china/want-north-korea-breakthrough-china-tells-us-show-flexibility-2022-02-04 on Friday that North Korea had carried out nine ballistic missile launches in January, adding it was the largest number in a single month in the history of the country’s weapons of mass destruction and missile programs.

The sanctions monitors stated that the DPRK had demonstrated greater capabilities for quick deployment and wide mobility (including at sea) as well as improved resilience to its missile forces.

A request for comment was not received by the North Korea mission at New York’s United Nations.

CYBERATTACKS ILLICIT TRADE

Monitors stated that cyberattacks on cryptocurrency assets remain a major revenue source for North Korea. They also received evidence that North Korean hackers continue to attack financial institutions and cryptocurrency exchanges.

According to the report, DPRK hackers stole over $50 million from cryptocurrency exchanges across North America, Europe, and Asia between 2020 and mid-2021.

Monitoring also pointed to a Chainalysis cybersecurity report last month that claimed that North Korea has launched at most seven attacks against cryptocurrency platforms, which resulted in the theft of nearly $400 Million worth digital assets.

The U.N. sanction monitors estimated that North Korea generated $2 billion in 2019 for its weapons-of-mass destruction programs through cyberattacks, which are increasingly sophisticated and widespread.

According to the latest reports, North Korea’s tight blockade as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in “illicit trading, even in luxury goods,”

Since its inception, the U.N. Security Council have banned North Korean exports, such as coal, iron and lead. They also cap imports of petroleum products.

Monitors reported that while maritime coal exports from DPRK rose in the second quarter of 2021 they were still relatively low.

According to the report, “The illicit imports of refined oil rose sharply over the same time period,” but it was much less than the previous years. The report stated that direct delivery to DPRK by non DPRK-tankers has been stopped. This is likely in response to COVID-19.

The report stated that North Korea’s humanitarian crisis “continues” to worsen. Monitors stated that this was likely due to the COVID-19 Blockade. However, it wasn’t possible to establish how many civilians were being hurt by U.N. Sanctions because there was not enough information.