Ukraine denies involvement in North Korea missile programme

Ukraine was not involved in the missile development programme of North Korea, China's Xinhua news agency reported, according to an official report released on Tuesday.

"The working group has come to the conclusion that Ukraine was not involved in the development of North Korea ballistic missiles programme," said a report published on the website of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council.

Ukraine's system of export control over the transfer of military and dual-purposed goods excludes any possibility for the transfer of rocket engines to North Korea, the report said.

The New York Times, citing a missile expert, reported last week that Ukraine's state-owned aerospace manufacturer Yuzhmash may have supplied rocket engines to North Korea.

Yuzhmash immediately denied the accusations, and the government set up a working group to investigate the report.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has instructed the Foreign Ministry to initiate a closed-door meeting of the United Nations Security Council to present Kiev's report.

-- BERNAMA