Following North Korea's launch of a spy satellite last week, the US imposed further penalties on Thursday, designating foreign-based agents accused of assisting sanctions evasion, including income and technology for its weapons of mass destruction program. In a statement, the US Treasury Department said it also sanctioned the cyber espionage firm Kimsuky, accusing it of gathering intelligence to help North Korea's strategic and nuclear aspirations.

The operation on Thursday, coordinated with Australia, Japan, and Korea, comes after north korea successfully launched its first spy satellite last week, which it said was meant to monitor US and South Korean military activity.

"Today's actions by the united states, Australia, Japan, and the Republic of Korea reflect our collective commitment to contesting Pyongyang's illicit and destabilizing activities," said Brian Nelson, Treasury's Under Secretary for terrorism and Financial Intelligence, in a statement.

"We will remain focused on targeting these key nodes in the DPRK's illicit revenue generation and weapons proliferation," Nelson added, referring to north korea as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The North Korean embassy in New York did not immediately reply to a request for comment on Thursday's measures.

North Korea has stated that its leader, Kim Jong Un, has studied spy satellite photographs of the White House, Pentagon, and US aircraft ships at the naval base of Norfolk since the satellite's launch. In addition to Washington, its state media stated that the satellite photographed cities and military locations in South Korea, Guam, and Italy.

In a rare, direct, public confrontation, the united states and North Korean ambassadors sparred in the United Nations Security Council on monday about the launch and the causes for rising tensions.

According to the Treasury, Kimsuky primarily targets government employees, research centres, academic institutions, and others in Europe, Japan, Russia, South Korea, and the United States.

The organisation was defined by the united states Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) in october 2020 as "likely tasked by the North Korean regime with a global intelligence gathering mission."

Researchers discovered the gang impersonating reporters in order to lure people into installing dangerous software to spy on them. Kimsuky's cyber organisation has previously targeted South Korea, Japan, and the United States.
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SIBY JEYYA

01/12/2023 05:48 AM