The Associated Press reported that the UN deadline for countries to repatriate overseas North Korean workers back home is unlikely to be met.

The report released on Friday said that sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council in December 2017 after North Korea tested a long-range missile required member states to repatriate all of the North's workers from their territories within 24 months, or by December 23rd. 

According to interim reports submitted by 47 UN members as of early December, over 23-thousand North Korean workers have so far been sent back home but this figure does not include China which has not publicized its own report.

The interim reports show that about 80 percent of North Koreans repatriated worldwide were from Russia, where most were employed in the construction, forestry and logging industries. 

The AP said the U.S. State Department previously estimated there were about a hundred-thousand North Korean workers worldwide and civilian experts say they bring in an estimated 200 to 500 million dollars in annual revenue for Pyongyang.

The report added there are no UN penalties for not following through the deadline.