The report, prepared by a group of experts tasked with monitoring the implementation of sanctions against Pyongyang, stated that “the total thefts of virtual goods committed by this country between 2019 and November 2020 amounted to $ 316.4 million,” according to a member state of the United Nations.
Financial institutions and exchanges were pirated with the aim of financing the development of North Korean missile and nuclear programs, according to the report, which was seen by AFP.
The report added that “most of the money was stolen in two operations committed in late 2020.”
“North Korea has mobilized thousands of cyber pirates to target companies and institutions in South Korea and elsewhere in the world,” the report said. “Their mission also includes finding sources of income to compensate Pyongyang for its losses due to the sanctions imposed on it over its nuclear missile program,” he added.
The UN experts said in the report that they “investigated hacking in September of electronic financial exchanges that ended with the theft of $ 281 million.”
The experts added that “23 million dollars were stolen a month later in a second piracy operation.”
The report revealed that “a preliminary analysis of the methods used in the attack and the means that were subsequently used to launder illegal proceeds showed a strong link with North Korea.”
Source: AFP
