UNITED NATIONS — North Korea has been shipping supplies to the Syrian government that could be used in the production of chemical weapons, United Nations experts contend. 
 
 The evidence of a North Korean connection comes as the United States and other countries have accused the Syrian government of using chemical weapons on civilians, including recent attacks on civilians in the Damascus suburb of eastern Ghouta using what appears to have been chlorine gas. 
 
 The supplies from North Korea include acid-resistant tiles, valves and thermometers, according to a report by United Nations investigators. North Korean missile technicians have also been spotted working at known chemical weapons and missile facilities inside Syria, according to the report, which was written by a panel of experts who looked at North Korea’s compliance with United Nations sanctions. 
 
 The report highlights the potential danger posed by any such trade between Syria and North Korea, which could allow Syria to maintain its chemical weapons while also providing North Korea with cash for its nuclear and missile programs. 

 (CNN) North Korea has been sending supplies to Syria that could be used to produce chemical weapons, a United Nations Security Council diplomat has told CNN. 
 
 Speaking on condition of anonymity, the diplomat said that North Korea had sent acid-resistant tiles, valves and thermometers to Syria. The diplomat was citing a report on North Korea authored by a UN panel of experts. 
 
 The same report also claims North Korean missile experts visited Syria in 2016 and 2017, after the chemical weapons supplies had been sent to the Middle Eastern state. 
 
 During one of the trips, the technicians stayed at Syrian military facilities. A UN member state reported to the panel of experts that scientists from North Korea may still be operating in Barzeh, Adra and Hama. 
 
 The details come just two days after the Syrian regime was accused of carrying out a chlorine gas attack on Eastern Ghouta, a suburb in the Syrian capital, Damascus. 
 
 Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime has repeatedly denied claims that it uses chemical weapons. Medical aid organizations, however, say they have routinely treated victims of chemical attacks and blame government forces, as the country's war nears its seventh anniversary. The US and other countries have made the same accusations against the Assad government. 
 
 The report says the Syrian government specifically denied the accusations there were missile experts from North Korea inside the country, saying instead they were sports trainers. 
 
 A UN spokesman, who had not seen the report, reminded member states of the sanctions restricting trade with North Korea while pointing out the dangers of aiding Syria's chemical capabilities. 
 
 "The last thing we need in Syria is more weapons ... God forbid chemical weapons," he said. 
 
 Sixteen people, including six children, were treated in Eastern Ghouta on Sunday for exposure to chemicals, the Syrian American Medical Society Foundation said. 
 
 A spokesperson for South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said they were closely watching North Korea's attempts to evade UN sanctions. "We are racing to intercept North Korea's violation of UN resolution and putting all diplomatic efforts with cooperation with the international community," she said. 
 
 A spokesperson for Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the government was aware of the report and declined to comment beyond reiterating its commitment to enforcing sanctions. A US State Department official also declined to comment on the UN report because of its confidential nature. 
 
 The official said that since 2006, "the Security Council has required the DPRK‎ (North Korea) to cease export of arms and related material as well as items relevant to nuclear, ballistic missiles and other weapons of mass destruction-related programs and to fully abandon all weapons of mass destruction programs." 
 
 The UN reports on North Korea are kept secret as they are reviewed by the UN Security Council. They are later declared official and made public. The diplomat who spoke to CNN said that they expect this report to be released on March 16. 
 
 The New York Times was the first to highlight the link to Syria in the latest report. 
 
 Earlier this month, a diplomat told CNN that North Korea had earned nearly $200 million from exporting coal and other banned commodities in 2017, in violation of UN sanctions. 
 
 Despite numerous rounds of international sanctions, North Korea exported almost all the commodities that had been prohibited in the resolutions between January and September of last year, the report indicates. 
 
 Among its coal export recipients was China, the report said. China has consistently denied breaching sanctions. 
 
 Correction: This story has been updated to note that the UN reports on North Korea are ultimately made public and correctly state the name of the spokesperson for South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
– Two leaders considered to be pariahs by much of the world may be providing each other much-needed help—with dire consequences. A comprehensive new UN report alleges that North Korea is selling equipment to Syria that can be used in chemical weapons production, reports the New York Times. Specifically, the report says Kim Jong Un's regime is selling Bashar al-Assad's military items such as acid-resistant valves and thermometers. If true, that means the partnership is providing financially strapped North Korea with money to continue working on its nuclear arsenal, while helping Assad continue his tactic of unleashing chemical attacks on civilians. Assad denies any such attacks, but he has routinely been accused of them by aid workers dealing with casualties. In fact, just two days ago, Syria was accused of a chlorine attack on Eastern Ghouta, reports CNN. The UN report has yet to be made public, but it's expected to be released next month. The Times notes that Syria and North Korea have strong ties that go back decades. (For the second time, Russia used video-game footage to represent the actual fighting in Syria.)