Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Aug 30, 2025

US Sanctions North Korea Over 'Malicious Cyber Activity'

US Sanctions North Korea Over 'Malicious Cyber Activity'

North Korea deploys thousands of tech workers abroad who engage in "malicious cyber activities that support the... government," a Treasury Department statement said.
The US government on Tuesday announced new sanctions on North Korean groups for what is said was the use of hackers to raise money for Pyongyang's weapons programs.

The targets of the sanctions "generate revenue by stealing funds from global financial institutions and other entities," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

North Korea deploys thousands of tech workers abroad who engage in "malicious cyber activities that support the... government," a Treasury Department statement said.

Four organizations were sanctioned, including the Pyongyang University of Automation, and the Chinyong Information Technology Cooperation Company, which the agency said controls workers deployed to Russia and Laos.

The other two organizations are the Technical Reconnaissance Bureau, an offensive cyber tactics unit which is subordinate to North Korea's premier intelligence bureau, and the 110th Research Center, which has targeted media and defense companies in South Korea, it said.

Also sanctioned was Kim Sang Man, who Treasury said was based in Vladivostok, in Russia's far east, and served as a paymaster.

Blinken said the sanctions were coordinated with South Korea.

North Korea "maintains a workforce of thousands of highly skilled IT workers around the world, primarily in the People's Republic of China and Russia," the Treasury statement said.

The workers often use stolen identities and proxy accounts to apply for jobs at foreign companies, using legitimate employment to shield other activities, it said.

The Treasury statement cited a UN report in March that said North Korean hackers "stole more virtual currency in 2022 than in any previous year, with estimates ranging from $630 million to over $1 billion -- reportedly doubling Pyongyang's total cyber theft proceeds in 2021."

North Korean hackers rose to prominence in 2014 with their alleged role in the hack of Sony Pictures in retaliation for the release of a satirical movie, "The Interview," that made fun of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The US administration will continue to combat North Korea's "continued efforts to steal money from financial institutions, virtual currency exchanges, companies, and private individuals around the world," said Brian Nelson, Treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Iran Faces Escalating Water Crisis as Protests Spread
More Than Half a Million Evacuated as Typhoon Kajiki Heads for Vietnam
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
×