South Korea Imposes Sanctions on North Korean Cyber Criminals

South Korea has imposed sanctions on 15 North Korean individuals and one organization for their involvement in cryptocurrency and cyber theft activities to fund North Korea's nuclear program. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced these sanctions on December 26, targeting operatives engaged in obtaining foreign currency for the North Korean Munitions Industry Department and nuclear missile programs. Notably, the Lazarus Group, among other North Korean hackers, has been implicated in major cyber thefts in the Web3 space. Governments are intensifying efforts to combat these hackers, projected to target over 50% of global virtual currencies for theft by 2024. The sanctions aim to disrupt money laundering and financing of North Korea's nuclear program. North Korean hackers were responsible for a significant portion of the $2.3 billion stolen in cryptocurrencies in 2024, indicating a rise in sophisticated cyber attacks. The global community faces escalating cyber threats from North Korean hackers, prompting increased vigilance and collaborative actions to safeguard against future cybercrimes.