Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sanctions 15 Individuals from North Korea's Bureau 313 for 'Virtual Asset Theft'

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced sanctions against 15 individuals from North Korea's Bureau 313, who have been involved in illegal foreign currency earnings through virtual asset (cryptocurrency) theft and hacking.

On the 26th, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs officially stated, "North Korea's cyber illegal activities are criminal acts that threaten the safety of the cyber ecosystem and are used to fund North Korea's nuclear missile development, posing a serious threat to international peace and security. Accordingly, we designate 15 North Korean IT personnel and one organization involved in overseas foreign currency earning activities to fund nuclear missile development as targets for independent sanctions against North Korea."

The individuals designated for sanctions include Park Heung-ryong, Yoon Jung-sik, Ri Il-jin, Kim Kyung-il, Kang Hyun-chul, Kim Chul-min, Ri Geum-hyung, Kim Ryu-sung, Hwang Chul, Ahn Kwang-il, Han Il-nam, Seung Chul-beom, Ri Young-rim, and Park Dong-hyun, who have been engaged in foreign currency earning activities while stationed overseas under the Bureau 313, a subordinate organization of the Korean Workers' Party's Munitions Industry Department.

The Munitions Industry Department is an organization overseeing North Korea's weapons production and research and development, including the ballistic missile program, and is subject to UN Security Council sanctions (2016.3.2.). The Bureau 313, a subordinate organization, dispatches a large number of North Korean IT personnel overseas and uses the foreign currency earned to fund nuclear and missile development, and is also involved in software development for the munitions sector.