Arab News Japan
TOKYO: The Foreign Ministries of Japan and South Korea, along with the US Department of State, co-hosted the Japan-US-ROK Public-Private Event to Counter North Korean IT Worker Threats in Tokyo on Tuesday, Japan’s Foreign Ministry reported.
The event, which was held in partnership with Google-related company Mandiant, provided discussions for the public and private sectors to bolster their collective protection against the activities of North Korean IT workers.
“Japan, the United States and the Republic of Korea remain united in our efforts to counter the threat posed by North Korean IT workers,” the group said in a joint statement. It noted that North Korea dispatches IT workers around the world to generate revenue. This, the statement said, funds North Korea’s unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs.
“Japan, the United States, and the Republic of Korea express serious concerns over the evolving malicious activities of North Korean IT workers,” the statement added.
The United States says it is designating four entities and individuals that help to further North Korean IT worker schemes, including in Russia, Laos and China.
The group says North Korean IT workers use a variety of techniques to disguise themselves as non-North Korean IT workers with false identities and locations. They take advantage of the demand for advanced IT skills to obtain freelance employment contracts, particularly targeting North America, Europe, and East Asia.
The consequences of hiring these North Korean IT workers include the theft of intellectual property, data, and funds, as well as reputational harm and legal consequences.
“Japan, the United States and the Republic of Korea reaffirm their commitment to enhancing their coordination among the three countries and deepening collaboration between the public and private sector to counter malicious cyber activities and illicit revenue generation by North Korea,” the statement said.
AloJapan.com