South Korea, U.S., Japan Warn Of Malicious Activity By North Korean IT Workers

South Korea, the United States and Japan issued a joint statement Wednesday expressing concern over the “evolving malicious activities” of North Korean IT workers. 

The statement said Pyongyang dispatches IT personnel abroad in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, earning revenue used to fund its weapons programs. 

It noted North Korean workers increasingly disguise their identities using artificial intelligence tools and secure freelance contracts across various industries including the blockchain sector in North America, Europe and East Asia.

Japan updated its advisory with details on new tactics, urging private companies to avoid inadvertently hiring or subcontracting to North Koreans, while the U.S. announced sanctions against four individuals and entities linked to such activities. 

South Korea was cited as having previously issued advisories, though no new measures were announced, a move officials said reflected timing rather than policy divergence.

The three countries pledged to strengthen trilateral coordination and deepen public-private cooperation against North Korea’s illicit cyber operations and revenue generation.