The U.S. says it has found no evidence that merits North Korea being relisted as a state sponsor of terrorism.

Daniel Benjamin, coordinator of the State Department's Office for Counterterrorism, told a Foreign Press Center briefing that "North Korea right now does not meet the statutory criteria to be designated as a state sponsor of terrorism."

He said that the information the U.S. has does not show that the North has repeatedly provided support for international terrorism since the designation was rescinded in October of 2008.

But the Republican Party is urging the Obama administration to take stern measures against the communist state following a U.N. report that claims Pyongyang continues to violate U.N. sanctions by exporting weapons.

Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the top candidate to take over as chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, says she will submit a bill in January calling for North Korea to once again be placed on the terrorism list.