UN: North Korea would have stolen 300 million dollars of cryptocurrency

North Korea has stolen more than $ 300 million worth of cryptocurrency in recent months via computer attack intended to fund its banned nuclear and ballistic programs, according to a confidential UN report.

This document, written by a group of experts tasked with monitoring the application of sanctions against Pyongyang, estimates that in total the theft of virtual goods committed by the country between 2019 and November 2020 amounts to approximately 316.4 million dollars (260 million euros), according to a member state of the United Nations.

Financial institutions and stock exchanges have been hacked in order to finance the development of North Korean nuclear and ballistic programs, according to this report which AFP was able to consult.

A large majority of the revenue came from two embezzlements committed at the end of 2020. North Korea has deployed thousands of seasoned hackers to target businesses and institutions in South Korea and around the world. Their objective is also to find sources of income in the face of the multiple sanctions to which the country is subject because of its weapons programs.