Warning over escalating North Korea nuke & chemical weapons threat after Kim Jong-un’s army of crypto hackers target US
NORTH Korea will continue expanding its nuclear weapons program as state-sponsored cryptocurrency hackers ramp up their activities against the US, an expert warns.
Geopolitical expert Brandon J Weichert told The Sun that Pyongyang represents a perennial threat to world stability.
It is widely reported that North Korean cybercriminals target cryptocurrency platforms in a bid to evade UN sanctions so it can fund its ambitious nuclear weapons program.
Experts at the believe Pyongyang has up to 50 nukes, 250-500kg of highly enriched uranium, and between 20 and 40kg of plutonium.
In 2021, elite army of 7,000 hackers stole around $400million in digital assets and blockchain experts at Chainalysis said the regime launched at least seven attacks on crypto platforms.
The dictator's cyber soldiers rival the CIA in their expertise and wreak chaos as "the world's biggest bank robbers", experts say.
The regime's tech wizards are trained to steal billions around the globe — which the tyrant uses to spend on weapons.
Weichert believes hackers will ramp up their criminal activities particularly if tensions between the West and North Korea intensify, and politicians refuse to engage with Kim.
During his tour of Asia, Joe Biden was asked if he had a message for the dictator. The commander-in-chief replied, "Hello. Period".
He said: “The more North Korea believes the US will not deal with Pyongyang outside of making threats, the more likely Pyongyang is to engage in revanchist and aggressive behavior."
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He branded Pyongyang a “significant destabilizer” to the regional order and a threat to the world.
A UN report from February, which was obtained by , revealed that cyberattacks on cryptocurrency assets are an “important revenue source” for the Asian nation.
State-sponsored hackers were behind a $620million heist that targeted the Axie Infinity game.
Players can earn cryptocurrency via gameplay or trading their avatars.
FBI investigators alleged state-sponsored hackers the Lazarus Group and APT-38 were behind the attack.
The Lazarus Group was accused of being linked to the attack on Pictures in 2014.
North Korea has vehemently denied allegations that they were behind such attacks.
But, John Bambenek, a principal threat hunter at the security firm Netenrich, said thefts are a “national security” interest for Pyongyang.
'GRAVE THREAT'
In 2019, UN officials claimed that Pyongyang had generated at least $2billion for its weapons of mass destruction program.
Officials in Washington have warned that it will try to intensify sanctions against North Korea if a nuclear weapon is tested.
US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said: “First of all we need to enforce the sanctions that we have already (the) authority to enforce.
“And we certainly, as we attempted in the last resolution, will push for additional sanctions.”
Washington forced a UN Security Council vote on May 26 after US and South Korean officials said Pyongyang tested an intercontinental ballistic missile.
The rogue state fired two missiles into the sea just last week.
It came just days after South Korea and US leaders agreed to scale-up joint military drills and deployment of American weapons.
Biden vowed to use the “full range of US defense capabilities, including nuclear, conventional, and missile defense capabilities” as he tried to deter Pyongyang.
Biden and Yoon Seok-youl branded North Korea’s nuclear initiative a “grave threat” to stability on the Korean peninsula, Asia, and the world.
North Korea resumed testing intercontinental ballistic missiles earlier this year, but has not tested a nuclear bomb since 2017.
Earlier in May, three ballistic missiles were fired by North Korea off its east coast into the sea.
The country is currently battling a Covid outbreak after fever infections exploded.
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More than 3.7million people have shown fever symptoms in total.
But, security experts fear Kim's inner circle could ramp up their weapons tests in a bid to divert attention away from the health crisis.
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