A diplomat at the United Nations who is aware of a secret report presented to Security Council members revealed that North Korea continued to develop its nuclear and missile programs throughout 2020 in violation of international sanctions.
According to the French news agency, the report prepared by independent sanctions monitors stated that Pyongyang "produced fissile materials, maintained its nuclear facilities, and developed its ballistic missile infrastructure," and continued to seek materials and technology for these programs from abroad. A representative from the U.S. State Department indicated that the administration plans a new approach to dealing with North Korea, which includes a comprehensive review with allies "of ongoing pressure options and any potential future diplomatic efforts."
The annual report of the UN Security Council's North Korea sanctions committee comes just weeks after U.S. President Joe Biden took office. In a related matter, the French news agency revealed a UN report stating that Iran and North Korea resumed cooperation last year in developing long-range missiles. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and former U.S. President Donald Trump met three times in 2018 and 2019, but made no progress regarding U.S. calls for Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons and North Korea's demands for the lifting of sanctions.
