(PTI): North Korea’s economy has experienced a ‘significant’ growth despite the UN Security Council’s recent financial measures against the country.

Pyongyang’s central bank said agricultural production rose nearly 11 percent in 2008 compared with 2007 and mineral production grew 2.3 percent for the year.

Sources said “temporary” factors, such as good weather had helped boost agricultural production.

The growth comes while tension in the troubled Korean peninsula has escalated over the North’s May 25 nuclear tests followed by a series of missile launches.

As a result, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) extended sanctions against North Korea.

The latest UNSC resolution, passed earlier in June, includes inspections of Pyongyang’s ships and financial measures and further paralyzes the country’s arms exports.

This is while South Korea and Japan on Sunday condemned Pyongyang’s nuclear drive as unacceptable vowing to push for stricter sanctions on the country.