Special envoys from the United States, Japan, and South Korea have expressed deep concerns over North Korea's growing nuclear program, highlighting the role of North Korean hackers and IT specialists in fueling the regime's weapons development.
According to a report by AFP, North Korea's overseas workers, including those engaged in "malicious cyber activities," are a major source of funding for the regime's weapons programs through the theft and laundering of funds, including cryptocurrencies.
"North Korea continues to engage in cyber-enabled illicit activities, including stealing digital currencies from exchanges and other entities to evade sanctions and fund its illicit programs," the three envoys said in a joint statement.
Citing data from crypto analytics firm Chainalysis, the envoys noted that North Korean hackers stole a record $1.7 billion in cryptocurrency last year alone.
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The special envoys expressed concern over North Korea's ability to support its nuclear and missile programs through cybercrime.
"Overseas DPRK IT workers continue using forged identities and nationalities to evade UNSC sanctions and earn income abroad that funds the DPRK's unlawful weapon of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs," the envoys added.
North Korean hackers have long been accused of using cryptocurrencies to generate revenue for the country.
Last year, cybersecurity firm Mandiant reported that North Korean cybercriminals were targeting jobs listed on platforms such as LinkedIn and Indeed to plagiarize resumes and other people’s profiles to land remote work at crypto firms.
The Lazarus Group, a hacking group believed to be backed by the North Korean government, has been implicated in several high-profile cyberattacks, including the 2018 theft of $530 million in cryptocurrency from the Japanese crypto exchange Coincheck.
The group is known for its use of sophisticated techniques, including spear-phishing campaigns and malware, in its attacks.
Earlier this year, the FBI identified the group as responsible for the $100 million hack of Harmony Protocol, a blockchain-based platform.
The incident highlighted the need for increased vigilance against cyber threats from North Korea and other state-sponsored groups.
"The United States and our allies remain vigilant in the face of the DPRK's continued illicit activities, and we are committed to working together to disrupt and deter these malicious actors and protect our financial systems from exploitation," the envoys said.
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