North Korea is likely to ratchet up fraudulent cyber operations to fund its weapons of mass destruction program after failing to secure sanctions relief from the U.S., according to a U.S. State Department official."As North Korea feels the impact of sanctions, it will become more reliant on state-sponsored criminal activities, including through cyber operations, to help fund its weapons of mass destruction programs," a Department of State spokesperson told VOA’s Korea Service on Tuesday.
SANCTIONS SQUEEZING
North Korea was hoping to see sanctions ease at the Hanoi summit in February in return for dismantling its Yongbyon nuclear facility. However,
ars longa, vita brevis...
Washington told Pyongyang to carry out a comprehensive denuclearization if it wanted to end sanctions.
Sanctions placed on North Korea, especially those imposed since 2016 in response to its increased nuclear and missile tests, have apparently hurt Pyongyang’s economy.
"There is no question that sanctions are squeezing North Korea’s economy, and the impact [means it will] increase efforts to find ways to circumvent sanctions or alternative sources of funding," said Robert Manning, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council.
"That is behind [North Korean leader] Kim [Jong Un]’s effort to boost his ties with China and Russia and also using cyber currencies to work around the bans on financial transactions," he added.