N Korea earns 200 million USD despite sanctions: report

Washington DC [United States] Feb 3 (ANI): North Korea earned nearly USD 200 million in revenue last year by exporting the banned commodities in violation of sanctions imposed by the United Nations.

Pyongyang was able to sell coal, steel, iron and petroleum products between January and September to multiple countries including Russia, China, Malaysia, South Korea and Vietnam, despite UN sanctions barring their export, according to several media reports which quoted a confidential report by independent U.N. monitors.

North Korea's economy has been heavily reliant on Beijing-$2.3 million of the $2.83 billion total exports were shipped to China in 2015

The document, which was submitted to the UN Security Council, also stated that the rogue nation had been providing weapons to Syria and Myanmar.

North Korea had flouted UN financial sanctions through "deceptive practices" and engaged in "widespread conventional arms deals and cyber operations to steal military secrets," according to the 213-page report seen by several media outlets.

North Korea has been developing nuclear weapons and sophisticated long-range missiles. Multiple sanctions dating back to 2006 have tried to choke off funding for the nuclear and missile programs.

The United States pushed for tough economic sanctions against the reclusive nation after its sixth nuclear test and a series of ballistic missile launches. (ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI