Government Imposes Independent Sanctions on North Korea... Including the Leader Behind the Hacking Organization

Head of North Korean Reconnaissance General Bureau Ri Chang-ho and 8 Others
Individuals Involved in Nuclear-Related Transactions and Cyber Activities

On the morning of the 18th, when North Korea launched a ballistic missile presumed to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into the East Sea, citizens at Seoul Station were watching related news reports. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The government has designated eight North Koreans involved in illegal cyber activities as targets of independent sanctions against North Korea in response to North Korea's recent launch of a long-range ballistic missile.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on the 27th, "In response to North Korea's long-range ballistic missile launch, which seriously threatens peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and in the international community, we have designated eight North Koreans involved in transactions of sanctioned goods including weapons and illegal cyber activities as targets of independent sanctions against North Korea."

Earlier, on the morning of the 18th, North Korea launched a long-range ballistic missile from the Pyongyang area into the East Sea. This is the fifth intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch by North Korea this year.

The targets of this independent sanction against North Korea include Ri Chang-ho, Director of the Reconnaissance General Bureau, Park Young-han, CEO of Beijing New Technology, and Yoon Cheol, former Third Secretary at the North Korean Embassy in China.

These eight individuals were involved in generating foreign currency and technology theft through illegal cyber activities, as well as trading sanctioned goods including weapons, thereby contributing to the North Korean regime's revenue generation and funding for nuclear and missile programs.

In particular, Ri Chang-ho, Director of the Reconnaissance General Bureau, is the head of the Reconnaissance General Bureau, the organization behind North Korean hacking groups such as Kimsuky, Lazarus, and Andariel, and is involved in earning foreign currency and technology theft through illegal cyber activities.

CEO Park Young-han acted on behalf of the North Korean arms export company Chosun Mining Development Trading Corporation (KOMID) to trade weapon-related items, and former Third Secretary Yoon Cheol, a former North Korean diplomat stationed in China, was involved in the trade of lithium-6, a nuclear-related mineral and a UN-sanctioned item against North Korea.

This sanction is the 14th under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration and the 12th independent sanction against North Korea this year. With this measure, the number of individuals and entities designated for independent sanctions by the government since October last year has increased to 83 individuals and 53 organizations.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "Our government has clearly made it known that North Korea's provocations will inevitably have consequences," and added, "We will continue to cooperate more closely with the international community, including the United States and Japan, so that North Korea realizes this fact, stops provocations, and comes to denuclearization talks."

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