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UN: North Korea Turns Talented Children into Cryptocurrency Hackers

The United Nations (UN) reportedly believes that North Korea is training its most talented young IT talents to become elite cryptocurrency hackers – and thinks Pyongyang is using a fake Hong Kong blockchain company as a front for money laundering schemes. Per South Korean media outlet Chosun, South Korean… Read More

Me and My Whistle-Blower

One sunny Wednesday in February, a gangly man in a sports jacket and a partly unbuttoned paisley shirt walked into the Los Angeles field office of the F.B.I. At the reception desk, he gave his name — Val Broeksmit — and began to pace anxiously in the lobby. Mr. Broeksmit… Read More

British-owned ships smuggle coal out of North Korea

When a British-owned ship loaded cargo at a coal berth on the west coast of North Korea earlier this year, its operators hoped that the mission would remain low-key. The Lucky Star’s public tracking system was switched off and was not reactivated until six days later when it had sailed… Read More

27th September 2019

North Korea Is Building Its Own Bitcoin

North Korea is in the early stages of developing its own cryptocurrency in a bid to avoid crippling international sanctions and circumvent the U.S.-dominated global financial system, a representative for the regime told VICE News. Pyongyang has long shown an interest in cryptocurrencies, with the country recently bringing together homegrown… Read More

26th September 2019

How a sanctions-busting smartphone business thrives in North Korea

North Korea is evading U.N. sanctions to cash in on soaring domestic demand for smartphones, using low-cost hardware imports to generate significant income for the regime, according to defectors, experts and an analysis of North Korean-made phones. Economists estimate as many as six million North Koreans – a quarter of… Read More

16th September 2019

U.S. imposes sanctions on North Korean hacking groups blamed for global attacks

The U.S. Treasury on Friday announced sanctions on three North Korean hacking groups it said were involved in the “WannaCry” ransomware attacks and hacking of international banks and customer accounts. It named the groups as Lazarus Group, Bluenoroff, and Andariel and said they were controlled by the RGB, North Korea’s… Read More

5th September 2019

25 countries have formed work group to analyze ABLV Bank’s participation in possible money laundering schemes – Znotina

A work group has been set up of 25 countries to analyze participation of the to-be-liquidated ABLV Bank in possible money laundering schemes, said the Financial Intelligence Unit’s head Ilze Znotina. She said that work on inspecting the list of ABLV Bank’s creditors is very successful. “We have received all… Read More

5th September 2019

North Korea exploits UN sanctions loophole to earn foreign currency

North Korea is increasing exports of paintings and wigs to China, in an effort to earn foreign currency by exploiting a U.N. sanctions loophole. While North Korea’s exports to China halved in value on the year in 2018 due to the U.N. sanctions, China represents a record 95.8% of the… Read More

2nd September 2019

U.S. imposes sanctions on people, firms it says helped North Korea evade sanctions

The United States has imposed sanctions on two people and three firms and has identified a blocked ship that it says helped North Korea evade sanctions, the Treasury Department said on Friday. The sanctions target a shipping network that the Treasury Department says engaged in ship-to-ship oil transfers with North… Read More

26th August 2019

North Korea money laundering in Russia puts European banks at risk

Elvira Nabiullina, the governor of the Russian Central Bank, has reportedly been reforming the bank sector and cracking down on financial institutions engaged in illicit behaviour. “Nabiullina’s has made some impressive achievements in cleaning up the banking system, which include better monitoring of large banks and withdrawal of licenses from… Read More

16th August 2019

Latvian bank that accused central bank head to be wound up: ECB

The Latvian lender which accused the country’s central bank head of corruption is failing and will be shut down, European banking authorities said on Thursday. PNB Banka, one of the smallest lenders under ECB supervision with just 550 million euros of assets, has seen “significant deterioration in its capital situation… Read More

15th August 2019

UN probing 35 North Korean cyberattacks in 17 countries

AP — U.N. experts say they are investigating at least 35 instances in 17 countries of North Koreans using cyberattacks to illegally raise money for weapons of mass destruction programs — and they are calling for sanctions against ships providing gasoline and diesel to the country. Last week, The Associated… Read More

6th August 2019

North Korea took $2 billion in cyberattacks to fund weapons program: U.N. report

North Korea has generated an estimated $2 billion for its weapons of mass destruction programs using “widespread and increasingly sophisticated” cyberattacks to steal from banks and cryptocurrency exchanges, according to a confidential U.N. report seen by Reuters on Monday. Pyongyang also “continued to enhance its nuclear and missile programmes although… Read More

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