S. Korea slaps more unilateral sanctions on N. Korea over illegal weapons-financing cyber activities

장동우 / 2023-05-23 23:45:03

S Korea-NK sanctions

▲ This undated file graphic depicts a North Korean cryptocurrency heist. (Yonhap)

S Korea-NK sanctions

S. Korea slaps more unilateral sanctions on N. Korea over illegal weapons-financing cyber activities

SEOUL, May 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea on Tuesday imposed additional unilateral sanctions on North Korea in response to illegal cyber activities aimed at financing the North's nuclear and missile development programs, Seoul's foreign ministry said.

According to the ministry, South Korea added three organizations and seven individuals involved in North Korea's illegal cyber activities to its sanctions lists on Pyongyang.

It marked Seoul's seventh independent sanctions announcement since the launch of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration in May last year.

The organizations are Jinyong IT Cooperation Company, Tongmyong Technology Trade Company and Kumsong Academy, all part of North Korea's Ministry of National Defense.

Among the blacklisted individuals are Kim Sang-man and Kim Ki-hyok of Jinyong IT Cooperation Company, and Kim Hyo-dong of Tongmyong Technology Trade Company. They are accused of have engaged in illegal foreign currency earning activities through North Korea's overseas information technology offices.

Through the new sanctions, Seoul expects to enhance the effectiveness of constraining North Korea's illegal weapons-financing cyber activities to a greater extent, the ministry said.

The ministry also announced that South Korea and the United States will co-host a public-private symposium in San Francisco on Wednesday to discuss cooperation measures with government and private sector officials from some 20 countries on blocking North Korea's illegal cyber activities.

It will be a follow-up to a similar joint symposium themed on North Korea's cryptocurrency theft held in Seoul in November of last year. Both countries plan to continue strengthening cooperation with the international community and the private sector to block North Korea's illegal cyber activities, the ministry added.

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