"North Korea Preparing Additional Nuclear Tests Including Punggye-ri Explosion Device Test"

Nihon Keizai Reports Draft of UN Expert Panel Report

The 2018 Punggye-ri tunnel explosion scene. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] The United Nations (UN) Security Council expert panel has prepared a report indicating that North Korea resumed excavation of tunnels at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site this year and that tests of explosive devices intended for nuclear tests have been confirmed, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported on the 5th.

Nihon Keizai stated that it obtained the full report submitted by the UN Security Council's North Korea Sanctions Committee on the 3rd. This report, which details the implementation status of sanctions against North Korea and methods of sanctions evasion from January to July this year, is scheduled to be published in September after discussions and revisions by the council members.

According to the report, North Korea has increased its production capacity of fissile material at the Yongbyon nuclear facility and resumed excavation of tunnels at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site, which had been demolished during denuclearization talks in 2018. According to one member state, tests of explosive devices used for nuclear tests were also confirmed, and two member states verified that North Korea entered the final stage of nuclear test preparations in early June.

Earlier, CNN cited U.S. defense and intelligence officials reporting that excavation and construction activities at the Punggye-ri tunnels resumed in April. Additionally, on the 20th of last month, the U.S. Department of Defense predicted that a nuclear test could take place at Punggye-ri as early as July, and the South Korean Ministry of National Defense also assessed that North Korea has completed all preparations for a nuclear test and that the likelihood of conducting one is high.

The UN expert panel's report also included information that cyberattack activities by hacker groups linked to North Korea, such as ‘Lazarus,’ continue, and that they appear to have siphoned off hundreds of millions of dollars worth of Ethereum and USD Coin. North Korea reportedly carried out cyberattacks against 47 companies and institutions, including defense enterprises.

Furthermore, the UN expert panel anticipated continued sanctions evasion by North Korea, including imports of refined petroleum products. Although the amount of refined petroleum products reported by UN member states to the North Korea Sanctions Committee by the 27th of last month was only 8.15% of the annual supply cap of 500,000 barrels, one member state estimated that North Korea may have imported as much as 458,898 barrels, close to the annual supply cap, according to Nihon Keizai. The newspaper also added that they judged North Korea's coal exports to be ongoing.

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