According to a confidential U.N report, it states that  North Korea maintained and developed its nuclear and ballistic missile programs all through 2020 in violation of international sanctions, helping fund them with some USD300 million stolen through cyber hacks.

The annual report to the Security Council's North Korea sanctions committee comes just weeks after U.S. President Joe Biden took office.

The report by independent sanctions monitors said Pyongyang "produced fissile material, maintained nuclear facilities and upgraded its ballistic missile infrastructure" while continuing to seek material and technology for those programs from abroad.

A State Department spokesperson said on Monday the administration planned a new approach to North Korea, including a full review with allies "on ongoing pressure options and the potential for any future diplomacy."

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and former U.S. President Donald Trump met three times in 2018 and 2019, but failed to make progress on U.S. calls for Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons and North Korea's demands for an end to sanctions.

In the past year, North Korea displayed new short-range, medium-range, submarine-launched and intercontinental ballistic missile systems at military parades, the U.N. report said.

The U.N. report said an unnamed member state had assessed that judging by the size of North Korea's missiles, "it is highly likely that a nuclear device" could be mounted on to long-range, medium-range and short-range ballistic missiles.

According to an unidentified country, North Korea and Iran have resumed cooperation on long-range missile development projects, including the transfer of critical parts, the monitors said. The most recent shipment was last year, they said.

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