A pro-North Korean newspaper in Japan reported Thursday that the North has made progress in stem cell research.

The Choson Sinbo, which is published by a pro-North group of ethnic Koreans in Japan, reported in its online edition that Pyongyang succeeded last year in separating heart stem cells from bone marrow and conducting in-vitro cultivation of the stem cells.

It also reported that the Pyongyang Medical School had developed reagents crucial for stem cell research and made progress in enhancing the success rate of external fertilization for humans.

However, the paper did not provide details about the purported research achievements.

The report quoted a North Korean health official as saying that the North had achieved good results over the last year that could contribute to promoting the people’s health.