A United Nations sanctions committee says that North Korea’s Yongbyon nuclear complex remains active along with its nuclear and missile programs.

In a 66-page report issued on Tuesday by the UN Security Council sanctions committee on North Korea, a panel of international experts said that the five-megawatt reactor at Yongbyon remained active in spite of occasional and partial suspensions.

The annual report cited satellite imagery through November which showed excavation of water channels and construction of a new building near the reactors' water discharge facilities.

The panel report also said North Korea is using more sophisticated methods to evade UN sanctions, including increasing imports of petroleum products through illicit ship-to-ship transfers. 

Exports called the Nampo port as the North's hub for illegal smuggling, saying that illegally smuggled refined oil products were directly transported from vessels through underwater pipelines at the port over 140 times from January to August of last year.

[Photo : YONHAP News]