The US government on Thursday sought to seize 280 cryptocurrency accounts believed to have ties to North Korean hackers who stole cryptocurrencies worth millions of dollars from two virtual exchanges and tried to launder the funds through Chinese traders. In a civil forfeiture complaint, the US Justice Department linked the cybertheft to North Korea and referred as well to a UN Panel of Experts report that the state-backed North Korean hackers stole about $500 million from at least five exchang

North Korea Aug. 28, 2020

The World Health Organization said it has been informed of zero coronavirus infection in North Korea so far, since the pandemic outbreak late last year. “As of 20 August, 2,767 people have been tested for COVID-19 in the country and all have tested negative. WHO is yet to get details about the suspected case that was reported in Kaesong,” said Edwin Salvador, WHO representative to North Korea, referring to a city near the inter-Korean border. He told Voice of America in an email th

North Korea Aug. 28, 2020

North Korean hackers have resumed robbing banks across the globe by draining cash from ATMs on fraudulent money transfers, multiple US federal agencies warned Wednesday. A technical alert on hacker group BeagleBoyz, jointly written by four different agencies including the Treasury Department and FBI, said North Korea resumed the bank heist campaign in February, ending a hiatus in activity from late last year. North Korea is believed to be funding its nuclear and missile programs with the

North Korea Aug. 27, 2020

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un convened a politburo meeting of the ruling Worker’s Party on Tuesday to discuss measures in response to Typhoon Bavi and the coronavirus outbreak, the North‘s Korean Central News Agency said Wednesday. “It is imperative to minimize casualties and crop damage. A good harvest depends on it,” Kim was quoted as saying at the meeting, urging aides to keep people informed of the latest on Typhoon Bavi, which is set to hit the country Wednesday a

North Korea Aug. 26, 2020

The United Nations will discuss human rights conditions in North Korea at the coming General Assembly scheduled to open Sept. 15, the Secretariat said. It added that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will report on the latest developments while Tomas Ojea Quintana, the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the North, will make recommendations at the UN Third Committee dealing with human rights. The committee has usually looked at human rights abuses in the North in Oct

North Korea Aug. 25, 2020

A barter exchange where South Korea trades sugar for North Korea’s liquor and food products as part of efforts to improve ties could not take place, despite Seoul’s strong push to do so, as the project involves a UN-sanctioned North Korean trading firm, lawmakers said Monday. Earlier in the day, the parliamentary intelligence was briefed on the latest finding by the Unification Ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs. Vice Unification Minister Suh Ho held the briefing himself.

North Korea Aug. 24, 2020

North Korea said Monday that it will move to correct its “deficiencies” at a congress scheduled for January, referring to a ruling Workers’ Party plenary meeting a week earlier where leader Kim Jong-un vowed to set a five-year economic plan because “unforeseen hurdles” had hampered economic growth. The state newspaper said in a commentary that the ruling party aims to use the congress to meet challenges here and abroad and to advance the country’s “revo

North Korea Aug. 24, 2020

Chinese President Xi Jinping will seek to persuade South Korea to not heavily invest in anti-China initiatives led by the US if he visits here, experts said Sunday, although his trip is unlikely to happen this year due to coronavirus concerns. Cheong Wa Dae said Saturday that the two countries agreed the Chinese leader will travel to Korea “at an early date” once the COVID-19 situation stabilizes. Beijing confirmed Seoul is a “priority” for Xi to visit, it added. Earli

Foreign Affairs Aug. 23, 2020

South Korean doctors on Saturday refused to stop their strike over health reform bills, even after the government announced it would put on hold the most contentious part of the plan until after the current coronavirus crisis. In a public message Saturday, Health Minister Park Neung-hoo urged doctors to return to duty, saying the government is willing to discuss the contentious matter with the medical industry after the country contains a surge in virus cases in the greater capital region. Me

Social Affairs Aug. 22, 2020

South Korean health authorities said Saturday that they will expand nationwide heightened social distancing rules currently in place for Seoul and the surrounding areas only. “We’re at a crossroads, in a very grave situation, for a nationwide coronavirus transmission. We’ll have to see to it if we fail to curb the spread now,” Health Minister Park Neung-hoo told a briefing, adding the expansion would take effect Sunday. But the health minister said some municipalities w

Social Affairs Aug. 22, 2020

South Korea’s daily tally of coronavirus cases rose again to 332, authorities said Saturday, surpassing 300 for the second consecutive day. The hike, recorded as of midnight Friday, brings the total tally to 17,002, of whom 14,169 have recovered, up 49 from the day before. It was the highest daily increase since March, when the country saw the deadliest cluster in the southeastern city of Daegu linked to church services there. Seoul and Gyeonggi Province again accounted for the majority

Social Affairs Aug. 22, 2020

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said the ruling Workers’ Party will convene a congress next year to unveil a new five-year economic plan, admitting, “unexpected challenges” this year have hampered economic growth, the Korean Central News Agency said Thursday. “To learn lessons from failed policies (from the last congress) and set a fresh strategy to power through hurdles ahead,” Kim said at the party’s plenary meeting on Wednesday, explaining its purpose

North Korea Aug. 20, 2020

Gen. Vincent Brooks, commander of the 28,500-strong US Forces Korea from 2016-2018, was named chairman as well as president of the Korea Defense Veterans Association, the fraternity group comprising American and Korean servicemen said Wednesday. “KDVA has been essential in bringing together Americans and Koreans who care about the Alliance and how the Alliance supports both countries,” Gen. Brooks said. “My love for Korea and my appreciation for the Alliance are well-known, a

Defense Aug. 20, 2020

Several US bombers flew over waters between Korea and Japan on Monday in a show of force, it was revealed Wednesday. The US military’s deployment of four B-1B Lancers and two B-2 Spirit Stealth Bombers to the region came just a day before South Korea and the US kicked off their annual joint military drills Tuesday. Scheduled to run through Aug. 28 this year, the drills are held annually to deter North Korea’s aggression, but are now scaled down, without key US-based troops, due t

Defense Aug. 19, 2020

North Korea is estimated to have between 20 and 60 nuclear bombs, as well as the capacity to produce six new ones every year, the US Army said in its latest report, adding that the communist country pursues its nuclear weapons program to prevent a forcible regime change from outside. “External powers intervened in Libya when the domestic revolts began in 2011. The Kim family does not want something similar to happen in North Korea,” said the report, titled “North Korean Tacti

North Korea Aug. 18, 2020