UN: North Korea may have developed nuclear devices small enough to mount on ballistic missiles

North Korea is pushing for its nuclear weapons program and some countries believe they may have developed nuclear devices small enough to mount on their ballistic missile warheads, according to a United Nations (UN) report.

An independent expert panel, which tracks UN sanctions, said several countries believed that North Korea through six nuclear tests may have developed miniature nuclear devices. Pyongyang has not conducted a nuclear test since September 2017.

The interim report, viewed by Reuters, was submitted to the North Korean Punishment Committee of the 15-member UN Security Council.

“The DPRK is continuing its nuclear program, including producing very rich uranium and building a light water test reactor. A member state assessed that the DPRK was continuing to produce nuclear weapons.”

The report reads.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said last week there would be no more war because nuclear weapons would ensure the country's safety and future, despite external pressure and military threats. .

The UN report said a country they did not specify had assessed that North Korea could seek to develop further miniature technologies to allow incorporation of technological improvements such as penetration assistance packages or to develop a variety of warhead systems.

North Korea has been under U.S. sanctions since 2006 on ballistic and nuclear missile programs. While the Security Council has increased sanctions steadily in an effort to cut funding for those programs.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump have met three times since 2018, but failed to make progress when the United States called on Pyongyang to give up nuclear weapons and North Korea stop punishing.

In May 2018, North Korea approved its commitment to blow up tunnels at its main nuclear test site, Punggye-ri, which Pyongyang said was evidence of its commitment to ending nuclear testing. . But they did not allow experts to witness the destruction of the area.

The US report stated that only the tunnel entrance was destroyed and there were no signs of comprehensive destruction, a country that assessed that North Korea could rebuild and reinstall within three months infrastructure needed to support nuclear testing.

U.S. experts say North Korea is violating sanctions, including the illegal export of coal, although it temporarily suspended between late January and early March 2020 due to coronavirus pandemic.

Last year, U.S. experts said North Korea made about $ 2 billion using extensive and sophisticated cyber-attacks to steal banks and crypto currency exchanges.