Radio Free Asia says there are around 30 Web sites around the world promoting the North Korean regime or selling North Korean products.

The U.S.-funded broadcaster says the sites operate on servers belonging to seven countries other than North Korea, including Japan, the U.S., Australia and Germany. The report says that eight of the 30 or so sites use a Japanese server and are operated by pro-North Korean groups in Japan.

RFA says that six sites using U.S. servers were providing legal services on North Korean intellectual property rights or selling North Korean medicine or artwork.

Only two sites were based in North Korea including the site for the North's official Korean Central News Agency.

Other sites using Australian and German servers were sites introducing North Korean books and computer programs.