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Starved of trade with most countries, the hermit state relies on a network of state-funded cybercrime to feed its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles programs. Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced sactions and travel bans against four entities and one individual involved in the shady network. “The scale of North Korea’s involvement in malicious cyber-enabled activities, including cryptocurrency theft, fraudulent IT work and espionage is deeply concerning,” Senator Wong said in a statement on Thursday. She pointed to a UN report that found North Korean “cyber actors stole at least $1.9 billion in cryptocurrency from companies around the world in 2024” through “a global network of North Korean nationals and foreign facilitators to launder stolen digital assets”. Senator Wong noted the report also found “officials used cryptocurrencies to sell and transfer military equipment and raw munitions materials such as copper”. “The Australian Government is taking this action with the United States to apply pressure on North Korea’s illegal revenue generation networks and address its persistent challenges to security and stability,” she said. “Australia will continue to work with international partners to respond to malicious cyber activity, promote the framework for responsible state behaviour in cyberspace and keep Australians safe.” Senator Wong called on North Korea to “abandon its unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner”, in line with UN Security Council resolutions. Lazarus Group is the most sophisticated of North Korea’s cybercrime soldiers. It has stolen billions of dollars in its relentless attacks on crypto wallets since 2017. But the group has also targeted traditional institutions, such as Bangladesh’s central bank and the UK’s National Health Service. It also targeted Sony Pictures in what was alleged to be retaliation for The Interview – a satirical film that mocked North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un. The other groups targeted in the sanctions include Kimsuky, Andariel and Chosun Expo. Infamous hacker Park Jin Hyok, who is wanted by the FBI, was also hit.
