North Korea using cyberattacks to speed up missile development despite sanctions: UN report

New York [US], February 8 : A United Nations panel examining sanctions on North Korea said that Pyongyang has been dodging sanctions and has upgraded its capability to produce nuclear fissile materials by obtaining money through cyberattacks.
The report's analysis concluded that last month, the North accelerated test launches of new-type ballistic missiles and others using solid and liquid fuel, and displayed the upgraded capabilities of its missile unit, NHK World reported.
It also noted that North Korea carried out cyberattacks on at least three cryptocurrency exchanges between 2020 and mid-2021 and stole at least 50 million dollars.
The UN Security Council has repeatedly held emergency meetings to discuss the North's missile launches, but it has not been able to take unified action because US calls for stronger sanctions are being opposed by China and Russia, which claim sanctions would worsen the humanitarian situation in North Korea, reported NHK World.
The panel of experts with the UN Security Council is set to publish its annual report shortly.
North Korea tested seven missiles in the first four weeks of 2022. Those seven missile tests are believed to be a hypersonic glide vehicle -- potentially one of the most powerful weapons on the planet -- to an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM), Pyongyang's longest-range missile tested since 2017 -- to cruise missiles, arms that powers like the US have had in their inventory for decades.