National security officials from the United States, South Korea, and Japan convened in Seoul to address shared concerns regarding North Korea’s cryptocurrency thefts and its utilization of such proceeds to fund weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs. The trilateral meeting involved U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Republic of Korea National Security Advisor Cho Tae-Yong, and Japan National Security Advisor Takeo Akiba.
The meeting covered various trilateral initiatives, including consultations on regional crises, sharing ballistic missile defense data, and collective efforts to counter North Korea’s exploitation of cryptocurrency for generating revenue. The White House’s readout emphasized the significance of reviewing progress in addressing these issues and fostering cooperation among the three nations.
Special focus was placed on the reported pilfering of cryptocurrency amounting to billions of dollars by North Korea. The U.S. government has previously associated these activities with the Lazarus Group, a hacking entity with ties to North Korea. The unlawfully acquired funds are purportedly funneled to aid North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs.
The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) has been actively sanctioning entities, including crypto mixers and specific wallet addresses, associated with North Korean hackers. Recent actions by OFAC targeted the Sinbad mixer, reinforcing the collaborative global response against North Korea’s cyber activities.
The meeting also touched on North Korea’s relationship with Russia, reflecting the broader geopolitical context surrounding the issue. The ongoing efforts by international authorities, including legal actions against developers linked to privacy tools like Tornado Cash, underscore the determination to disrupt illicit funding streams supporting North Korea’s weapons programs.
