US Sanctions Entities and Individual for Supporting North Korean Cyber Activities
On May 23, 2023, the US Treasury announced sanctions against four entities and one individual involved in obfuscated revenue generation and malicious cyber activities that support the North Korean government.
Entities Sanctioned:
Three entities were targeted for their connections to North Korea’s primary intelligence service, the Reconnaissance General Bureau (RGB), which is responsible for numerous cyber espionage and theft activities. These entities include:
- Pyongyang University of Automation: Linked to the Technical Reconnaissance Bureau and the 110th Research Center.
- Technical Reconnaissance Bureau: Leads the DPRK’s development of offensive cyber tactics and tools, operating departments affiliated with the Lazarus Group.
- Chinyong Information Technology Cooperation Company: Illicitly employs IT workers to generate revenue, notably in virtual currency, to support North Korea’s unlawful weapons programs.
Sanctioned Individual:
Kim Sang Man, a North Korean national located in Vladivostok, Russia, was sanctioned for his involvement in the sale and transfer of IT equipment for the North Korean regime. He received cryptocurrency funds transfers valued at over $2 million from IT teams in China and Russia.
Illicit Activities:
The Chinyong Information Technology Cooperation Company’s workers fraudulently obtain employment in various industries, concealing their identities and using forged documentation. They have worked in sectors such as business, health, fitness, social networking, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle.
Kim Sang Man’s actions were jointly sanctioned by the United States and South Korea, highlighting the international cooperation in combating North Korean cyber activities.
This latest round of sanctions underscores the ongoing efforts to disrupt North Korea’s malicious cyber operations and illicit revenue generation, aimed at supporting the regime’s weapons programs.
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