US Imposes Sanctions on North Korea for Funding Programs Through Disguised IT Workers

The U.S. Treasury Department has implemented additional sanctions against North Korea on charges of generating funds for its illicit weapons programs by disguising and dispatching IT workers to companies.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Treasury Department announced on the 28th (local time) that it has designated 10 individuals (8 North Korean nationals and 2 Russian nationals) and 1 entity as targets of sanctions.

OFAC stated that North Korea conceals the identities of its IT workers to secure jobs at legitimate companies in the U.S. and its allies, and confiscates the majority of these workers' wages to generate hundreds of millions of dollars, which are then used to fund its weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missile programs.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent pointed out, "The North Korean regime targets and exploits U.S. companies through fraudulent activities perpetrated by its overseas IT personnel, and extorts massive amounts of money from businesses by weaponizing sensitive data."

He added, "Under President Trump's leadership, the Treasury will continue to utilize all available means to protect U.S. companies from these malicious activities and hold those responsible accountable."

Previously, in March, OFAC sanctioned 6 individuals and 2 entities in connection with North Korea's disguised IT worker employment.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.