US, North Korea, and Russia Collaborate with Over 30 Countries to Combat Ransomware... South Korea Included

[Asia Economy Reporter Seulgina Jo] The U.S. government has decided to establish a joint response front with over 30 countries to counter ransomware crimes by Russia, China, North Korea, and others.

According to Yonhap News, a senior U.S. administration official stated during a phone briefing on the 12th (local time) that a 'Counter-Ransomware Initiative' meeting involving ministers and senior officials from over 30 countries will be held virtually on the 13th and 14th.

Led by the White House National Security Council (NSC), this meeting will include participants from South Korea, Japan, the European Union (EU), the United Kingdom, France, Germany, India, Mexico, and others.

Ransomware is a form of cyberattack where hackers block access to critical programs or implant malicious software and then demand money in exchange for restoring the system. This year, the U.S. has prioritized cybersecurity response policies after repeated incidents such as ransomware attacks on meat processing company JBS SA and pipeline company Colonial Pipeline, which suffered significant damage. Last month, the U.S. Treasury Department issued an updated advisory on ransomware, warning that companies paying ransoms could also become targets of sanctions.

The meeting will focus intensively on four areas: ▲ responding to ransomware infrastructure and actors ▲ strengthening resilience against attacks ▲ addressing virtual currencies used for laundering criminal proceeds ▲ and international cooperation. This is also interpreted as an effort to pressure Russia and China, which are frequently mentioned as the origins of ransomware attacks. North Korea, separately mentioned during last month’s ransomware advisory update, is also identified as a target for ransomware countermeasures.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.