SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA: North Korea has once again come under global scrutiny after reports revealed that Pyongyang is using cryptocurrency thefts and overseas IT workers to evade United Nations sanctions. The latest findings by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) expose an elaborate scheme designed to sustain the regime’s military and economic operations despite heavy international restrictions.
According to the report, North Korean cyber operatives stole over $1.6 billion in cryptocurrency between January and September 2025 — including approximately $1.4 billion in a major heist targeting the Bybit exchange earlier this year. The UN experts also highlighted that in 2024 alone, the country managed to siphon off another $1.2 billion, underlining Pyongyang’s growing dependence on digital crime to generate funds.
The MSMT report further reveals that North Korea is deploying overseas IT professionals — in violation of UN bans on foreign labour exports — across China, Russia, Cambodia, Laos, and several African nations. Many of these individuals work remotely under fake identities for international companies, funneling their earnings back to the regime. In some cases, North Korean workers have even used stablecoins to procure military-related materials, including copper and weapon components.
Investigators warned that Pyongyang’s increasing reliance on cyber theft and disguised remote employment represents a major threat to global cybersecurity and financial integrity. They also noted possible plans to send up to 40,000 additional workers to Russia, a move seen as an expansion of North Korea’s underground economic network.
The revelations underscore how the sanctioned state continues to outmaneuver global oversight, using digital technology as both a weapon and a lifeline. Experts stress the urgent need for tighter blockchain tracking, enhanced identity verification, and closer scrutiny of remote-work systems to block Pyongyang’s illicit financial channels.
This story has been reported by PakTribune. All rights reserved.