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US, South Korea, Japan Unite Against North Korea's Crypto Threats. 🇰🇵 × 🇺🇸🇰🇷🇯🇵
National security leaders from the United States, South Korea, and Japan recently gathered in Seoul to confront the escalating concern of North Korea's involvement in crypto thefts and the potential financing of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs.
Prominent figures including Jake Sullivan, Cho Tae Yong, and Takeo Akiba actively participated in the discussions, emphasizing the urgency of a united front against emerging threats.
Trilateral Initiatives Unveiled:
1. Regional Crisis Management:
Focused efforts on addressing regional crises and countering North Korea's persistent weapons programs.
2. Defense Collaboration:
Defense data will be mutually shared to strengthen regional security and preparedness.
3. Combating WMD Funding via Cryptocurrency:
A joint commitment to thwart North Korea's exploitation of cryptocurrency for financing illegal WMD activities.
Crypto Activities in the Spotlight:
The White House stressed the collaborative significance in addressing North Korea's crypto-related activities, spotlighting the Lazarus Group's alleged involvement in stealing over $600 million from Axie Infinity's Ronin Bridge.
OFAC's Decisive Actions:
The US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took swift measures against North Korean hackers linked to crypto crimes, imposing sanctions on numerous mixers believed to facilitate fund laundering.
Global Measures and Sanctions:
Various wallet addresses and individuals were included in the global financial system's ban, responding to allegations of supporting North Korea's weapons program fundraising efforts.
Attention to Privacy Tools and Developers:
TornadoCash, a privacy tool, and its developers faced scrutiny for their alleged involvement in over $100 million of stolen crypto through mixing services.
