U.S. Cracks Down on $3B Crypto Heists to Thwart North Korea's Nuclear Funding
- U.S. Treasury sanctions North Korean bankers and entities for laundering $5.3M in stolen crypto to fund nuclear programs. - Sanctions target a $3B global network involving China/Russia, using IT fraud and crypto heists to evade sanctions. - Diplomatic efforts persist as South Korea urges U.S.-China cooperation, but North Korea rejects denuclearization talks as "pipe dreams." - State-sponsored hackers exploit crypto for weapons funding, with Pyongyang claiming nuclear status is "permanently enshrined."
The U.S. Treasury has announced sanctions against North Korean bankers and financial organizations accused of laundering stolen cryptocurrency, in an effort to cut off funding for the country's nuclear weapons initiatives. The sanctions list includes Jang Kuk Chol and Ho Jong Son, who allegedly managed $5.3 million in digital assets for the already-sanctioned First Credit Bank, according to a
KIRO7 report . Over the last three years, North Korean cybercriminal operations have stolen upwards of $3 billion in cryptocurrencies, a sum that surpasses any other foreign group, AP News reports. The Treasury pointed to a network that stretches across North Korea, China, and Russia, enabling money laundering through fraudulent IT work, crypto theft, and sanctions evasion, as covered by WRAL .These sanctions coincide with ongoing diplomatic efforts to address North Korea's nuclear program. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has highlighted the United States' essential role in managing relations with North Korea, while also calling on China to contribute positively to renewed talks, according to a
Reuters report via TradingView . At a recent APEC meeting, President Lee and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed ways to work together, including measures to address North Korea's nuclear threat, as reported by Fox40 . Nevertheless, North Korea has rejected the idea of denuclearization talks, calling them a "pipe dream," with Vice Foreign Minister Pak Myong-ho criticizing South Korea's expectations as lacking "common sense," according to Borna News . Pyongyang has reaffirmed that its nuclear status is "permanently enshrined" in its laws and cannot be reversed, as stated by Saba .
The U.S. actions are directed not just at individuals, but also at the financial systems that support North Korea's illegal operations. Treasury Under Secretary John K. Hurley noted that hackers backed by the North Korean state use cryptocurrency theft to finance weapons programs, a method that has proven very successful, KIRO7 reported. In 2022, the department cautioned that North Koreans were impersonating remote IT professionals to access international financial systems, a scheme that has broadened their influence, AP News observed. At the same time, South Korea has dealt with internal issues, such as anti-China demonstrations during President Lee's APEC meetings, highlighting the region's fragile balance between diplomacy and national interests, according to a
Mezha report .As the situation remains tense, the U.S. and its partners are maintaining a focus on financial strategies to counter North Korea. The recent sanctions are part of a larger effort to economically isolate the regime while promoting international dialogue. Still, North Korea's confrontational statements and China's uncertain stance on sanctions enforcement indicate that denuclearization is likely to remain out of reach for now.
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