South Korea, US, Japan Issue Joint Statement Expressing Concern Over Malicious Activities of North Korean IT Personnel

South Korea, the United States, and Japan have issued a joint statement expressing concerns over the malicious activities of North Korean information technology (IT) personnel and pledging to strengthen their response.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 27, the three countries stated in the joint statement released that day, "North Korea is violating United Nations Security Council resolutions by dispatching IT personnel around the world to generate revenue, which is then used to fund its illegal weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missile development programs." The statement continued, "We express serious concern over the evolving malicious activities of North Korean IT personnel."

The statement further pointed out, "North Korean IT personnel use artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to disguise their identities and locations, collaborate with overseas accomplices, and employ various other methods." It noted, "They are increasingly securing freelance contracts from clients in North America, Europe, and East Asia by capitalizing on the demand for skilled IT services." The statement also emphasized that these individuals are often directly involved in malicious cyber activities, particularly in the blockchain industry.

The joint statement noted that Japan updated its advisory on North Korean IT personnel on this day. Japan provided detailed information on new tactics employed by North Korean IT workers and recommended that the private sector reduce the risk of inadvertently hiring, supporting, or subcontracting work to these individuals.

The United States has decided to designate four organizations and individuals, operating in countries such as Russia, Laos, and China, that contribute to the activities of North Korean IT personnel, as targets for sanctions.

The statement mentioned that South Korea has previously issued advisories regarding North Korean IT activities, but no new measures from South Korea were announced.

South Korea, the United States, and Japan reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening trilateral cooperation to counter North Korea's malicious cyber activities and illegal revenue generation, as well as deepening public-private collaboration.

The three countries recently discussed measures to strengthen public-private partnerships in response to North Korean IT activities in Tokyo, Japan, in cooperation with Mandiant, Google's cybersecurity subsidiary.

A South Korean diplomatic official explained the absence of new measures from South Korea, stating, "Japan and the United States announced new measures to coincide with the timing of the meeting, while we have ongoing actions in place. It is simply a matter of timing, and it was not intentional that only South Korea did not announce new measures."