OFAC Sanctions People, Companies Helping to Employ North Korean IT Workers
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned a North Korea-based hacker along with a Russian national and several related companies for helping to employ North Korean information technology workers abroad.
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The agency said Song Kum Hyok, who has ties to the North Korean Reconnaissance General Bureau hacking group Andariel, helped North Korean IT workers secure jobs at “unwitting companies” using fake identities. Many of the workers, who worked to generate revenue for the North Korean government, were based in China and Russia.
In some cases, the workers introduced malware into company networks “for additional exploitation,” the Treasury Department said.
OFAC also sanctioned Russian national Gayk Asatryan, who has used his Russia-based companies to hire North Korean IT workers. Asatryan signed a 10-year contract with North Korea-based Korea Songkwang Trading General Corporation last year to hire up to 30 North Korean IT workers to work in Russia for his company, Asatryan Limited Liability Company, OFAC said. Asatryan also signed a contract with North Korea-based Korea Saenal Trading Corporation to hire 50 North Korean IT workers to work in Russia for Fortuna Limited Liability Company, another one of Asatryan’s Russian companies.