North Korea has not stopped its nuclear and missile programs in violation of United Nations sanctions, according to a confidential U.N. report seen by Reuters on Friday.
North Korea hasn't stopped its nuclear and missile program and has been trying to sell weapons to Yemen's Houthis.
All a violation of United Nations sanctions. That's according to a report commissioned by the UN Security Council.
It also says Pyongyang, quote, "continued to defy Security Council resolutions through a massive increase in illicit ship-to-ship transfers of petroleum products..." and that North Korea is cooperating militarily with Syria.
The isolated nation hasn't yet commented on the report.
However, its foreign minister said on Saturday (August 4) that he was increasingly alarmed by U.S. attitudes towards his country but stated North Korea remains firm in its determination to implement the nuclear deal it reached with Washington in June.
His comments follow a week where U.S. spy satellites detected renewed activity at a North Korean missile factory.
And U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo suggested that continued work on weapons programmes was inconsistent with leader Kim Jong Un's commitment to denuclearize.
However, Pompeo said on Saturday he remains optimistic.
"The process of achieving denuclearization of the North Korean peninsula is one that I think we have all known will take some time. We're determined to do it. Chairman Kim is committed to doing it. I'm optimistic we'll get this done in the timeline."
Pompeo is in Singapore attending a regional conference where he shook hands and exchanged words with North Korea's foreign minister during a group photo session.
He's been pressing southeast Asian countries to maintain sanctions on North Korea saying it's important to maintain diplomatic and economic pressure. (Reuters)
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