gettyimagesbank

North Korean hackers stole some $659 million worth of crypto assets through multiple hacks in 2024 as it continues its malicious cyber activities to fund its illicit weapons programs, a joint statement by South Korea, the United States and Japan showed Tuesday.

It marked the first time the three countries have jointly identified North Korea-linked cryptocurrency thefts and their targeted entities in a public statement.

Last year, North Korea hacked $235 million from the India-based bitcoin exchange WazirX and $50 million from Radiant Capital, in addition to approximately $374.13 million stolen from DMM Bitcoin, Upbit and Rain Management, the statement said, citing industry analyses.

The three countries have designated North Korea-affiliated hacking groups, including the Lazarus Group, as subject to sanctions.

The three countries have observed that the North deployed "well-disguised" attacks that ultimately deploy malware, demonstrating a "pattern of malicious behavior in cyberspace by conducting numerous cybercrime campaigns" to steal crypto assets, the statement said.

Tuesday's statement intends to provide a warning to the blockchain technology industry about the ongoing targeting and compromise of a range of entities by North Korean crypto hackers, it said.

"The DPRK's cyber program poses a significant threat to the integrity and stability of the international financial system," the statement said, referring to the North by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

"Our three governments strive together to prevent thefts, including from private industry, by the DPRK and to recover stolen funds with the ultimate goal of denying the DPRK illicit revenue for its unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs," it said.

The three countries advised the private sector to thoroughly review the advisories issued by their authorities to better inform anti-cyber threat measures and mitigate the risk of inadvertently hiring North Korean IT workers.

The three nations also reaffirmed their commitment to working together to counter the North's malicious cyber activities and illicit revenue generation. (Yonhap)