Experts: North Korea using cyber attacks to update nukes

A U.N. panel monitoring sanctions says North Korea is modernizing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles while evading restrictions through cyberattacks and continued efforts to obtain overseas materials and technology. In a report sent to Security Council members on Monday, experts valued “total theft of virtual assets” from 2019 to November 2020 at approximately $316.4 million, citing investigations into North Korea-linked cyber actors targeting financial institutions and cryptocurrency exchanges in 2020 to finance weapons of mass destruction programs. The panel also referenced prior findings about ongoing involvement of Iran-linked activity, including the Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation, North Korea’s main arms dealer. It further said North Korea and Iran resumed cooperation on long-range missile development projects, with a shipment involving transferred critical parts in 2020. The experts recommended new sanctions against four North Korean men named in the report, warning the regime remains able to evade sanctions, access banking channels, and conduct malicious cyber activities.