North Korea maintained and developed its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes throughout 2020 in violation of international sanctions, helping fund them with some US$300 million (RM1.2 billion) stolen through cyber hacks, according to a confidential United Nations report seen by Reuters on Monday.

The report by independent sanctions monitors said Pyongyang "produced fissile material, maintained nuclear facilities and upgraded its ballistic missile infrastructure" while continuing to seek material and technology for those programmes from abroad.

The annual report to the Security Council's North Korea sanctions...