Australia said on Friday it had sanctioned two North Korean individuals and companies over the use of “fraudulent” IT workers and cybercrime to earn cash for the isolated nuclear-armed state.
The two men are alleged to be key operators in Pyongyang’s cybercriminal activities overseas, estimated by analysts to bring in billions for the country’s weapons programme.
“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 programmes,” the office of Australia’s foreign minister Penny Wong said.
North Korea faces a slew of international sanctions over its weapons and nuclear programmes.