A total of 41 countries have submitted action plans to the United Nations that aim to penalize North Korea for conducting its fourth nuclear and long-range missile tests earlier this year, a U.S.-based media report said Wednesday.

According to Voice of America, these countries submitted their plans this week after the U.N. Security Council passed Resolution 2270 in March. The latest sanctions slapped on the reclusive country by the international body are viewed as being the most stringent yet, as they aim to curb Pyongyang's ability to earn hard currency. These funds are suspected of bankrolling North's nuclear ambitions.

U.N. members have been asked to submit their own implementation reports within 90 days of the resolution's adoption, but countries need not abide by the deadline.

The number of countries joining the action plan are 23 more than the 18 countries that outlined what they planned to do following the North's third nuclear test in 2013.

According to the VOA, the number of pages making up the implementation report is much more than in 2013.

The media outlet said on average each country submitted action plans over four pages long, with Cyprus having the largest document, a 21-page report, followed by the United States with 19 pages, Japan with 13 pages and South Korea with 10 pages. In 2013, the average was around 3.8 pages per country.

The VOA said the main change this year compared with three years ago is that more African countries and other countries friendly to North Korea have submitted implementation reports.

For instance, the African country of Uganda made it clear in the report that it would cut down military cooperation with North Korea.

Unlike in 2013, Laos, Vietnam and Mongolia, which have been maintaining amicable relations with North Korea, have all submitted implementation reports, according to the media report.

A South Korean foreign ministry official said in a telephone conversation with the VOA that international concerns have mounted over the technical advance in North Korea's nuclear weapons program, and this has heightened international awareness, as well as the importance of the Resolution 2270.

Meanwhile, the South Korean government submitted its implementation report in June, which includes the government's explanations on measures taken against the North, such as restrictions on shipping and transportation, along with other financial and economic restrictions. (Yonhap)