Australia sanctions two North Koreans and two firms over fraudulent IT workers funding weapons
Australia has imposed targeted financial sanctions and travel bans on two North Korean individuals and two companies accused of placing fraudulent IT workers in remote jobs abroad to fund the regime's nuclear and missile programmes.
Australia imposed financial sanctions and travel bans on two North Korean individuals and two companies on Friday over “fraudulent” IT workers raising money for the regime’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes.
The individuals are Yu Pu Ung, a China-based representative of North Korea’s Tanchon Bank accused of funnelling IT-worker funds to the regime’s munitions makers, and Sim Hyon Sop, deputy representative of Korea Kwangson Banking Corp in Dandong; US rewards for information on Sim are reported at $5–7 million.
The firms are Korea Mangyongdae Computer Technology Company, which runs IT worker delegations out of China’s Shenyang and Dandong, and Chinyong Information Technology Cooperation Company, which manages IT worker teams in Russia and Laos. All four were already under US Treasury sanctions.
“The North Korean entities and individuals sanctioned today facilitate North Korea’s use of fraudulent IT workers to raise revenue for the regime’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs,” the office of Foreign Minister Penny Wong said, adding: “We are taking this action in coordination with international partners, including the European Union.”
Posing as other nationals, the workers use stolen and doctored Australian drivers’ licences and passports to win remote contracts, breaching UN Security Council resolutions that prohibit North Korea’s export of labour. Breaches carry up to 10 years’ jail and fines of up to $910,000 for individuals or $3.64 million for companies. The US and allies warned in July that the workers were using AI to obscure their identities. North Korea has denied the allegations.
Sources
- https://www.thepeninsulatimes.co.za/Politics/741175-australia-sanctions-north-koreans-over-fraudulent-it-work-cybercrime.html (AFP-carried; sanctions announcement, Wong quote, reward, July AI warning, New Zealand case)
- https://cybernoz.com/australia-sanctions-north-korean-it-worker-bosses-and-financiers/ (iTnews-based; names, company details, penalties, doctored Australian documents, EU coordination quote)
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