The US State Department says North Korea has so far stolen hundreds of millions of dollars in cryptocurrencies, including $620 million in March this year. He also stressed that he is committed to stopping North Korea’s illicit revenue-generating activities around the world to develop weapons of mass destruction. Reporter Jo Eun-jeong reports.
The U.S. State Department has announced its will to eradicate illegal revenue-generating activities such as theft of cryptocurrency in North Korea.
The State Department issued a statement on the 17th and co-hosted a public-private symposium with the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Seoul to respond to North Korea’s cryptocurrency theft. He explained that they discussed possible countermeasures.
[국무부] “To date, the DPRK has stolen hundreds of millions of dollars in cryptocurrencies, including the equivalent of $620 million in cryptocurrencies from a virtual asset service provider in March 2022. The United States and the ROK remain committed to working with governments, financial institutions, virtual asset service providers, and other private industry actors to disrupt DPRK cyber threats and fully implement UN Security Council resolutions pertaining to the DPRK.”
The State Department pointed out that North Korea has so far stolen hundreds of millions of dollars in cryptocurrencies, including stealing $620 million worth of cryptocurrencies from virtual asset operators in March of this year.
“The United States and South Korea remain committed to working with governments, financial institutions, virtual asset service providers and private actors to block North Korean cyber threats and fully implement UN Security Council sanctions resolutions once morest North Korea,” he said.
The State Department explained that hundreds of people from more than 12 countries participated in the symposium, representing the US State Department, the Treasury Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and National Police Agency, the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee on North Korea expert panel, research institutes, and virtual asset service companies. .
They made presentations on North Korean cryptocurrency malware types, Security Council resolutions once morest North Korea, North Korean cryptocurrency laundering techniques, and cyber security best practices.
They also discussed strengthening cooperation between the private sector and the government to effectively prevent and respond to North Korean cyber operations, the State Department said.
[국무부] “The United States is committed to disrupting illicit DPRK revenue generation activities worldwide, including its cyber operations, which support the DPRK’s unlawful weapons of mass destruction programs, may facilitate criminal activity, and threaten international peace and security and the global nonproliferation regime. The full implementation of DPRK-related UN Security Council resolutions by all countries is crucial to a successful diplomatic outcome.”
The State Department said the United States is committed to supporting North Korea’s illicit weapons of mass destruction program, assisting its criminal activities, and combating North Korea’s illicit revenue-generating activities, including cyber activities that threaten international peace and security and the global nonproliferation regime.
He stressed that full implementation of UN sanctions resolutions once morest North Korea is critical to a successful diplomatic outcome.
This is Cho Eun-jung from VOA News.