South Korea just slapped sanctions on 15 North Koreans accused of using cybercrime to fund their country’s weapons program. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs named the individuals, all allegedly working overseas, primarily in China, Russia, Southeast Asia, and Africa. These individuals reportedly disguise their identities to work for IT companies, stealing information and launching cyberattacks.
Who Are the Sanctioned Individuals?
The sanctioned individuals are: Park Heung-ryong, Yoon Jung-sik, Lee Il-jin, Kim Kyung-il, Kang Hyun-cheol, Kim Cheol-min, Lee Geum-hyung, Kim Ryu-sung, Hwang-cheol, Ahn Il-nam, Seung-cheol-beom, Lee Young-rim, and Park Dong-hyun.
The Bigger Picture: Funding North Korea’s Weapons Program
These hackers are believed to be working for the 313 General Bureau, a North Korean government agency responsible for weapons production and research. South Korea also sanctioned the Chosun Geumjeong Economic Information Technology Exchange Company, which allegedly helps send these hackers abroad.
The impact of these cybercrimes is significant. According to Chainalysis, North Korean hackers stole a whopping $1.34 billion in 2024 alone. A UN report even suggests that cyber theft accounts for about 40% of the funding for North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction (WMD) program.
