BACKGROUNDER
No. 3790 | SEPTEMBER 20, 2023
ASIAN STUDIES CENTER
This paper, in its entirety, can be found at https://report.heritage.org/bg3790
The Heritage Foundation | 214 Massachusetts Avenue, NE | Washington, DC 20002 | (202) 546-4400 | heritage.org
Nothing written here is to be construed as necessarily reflecting the views of The Heritage Foundation or as an attempt to aid or hinder the passage of any bill before Congress.
North Korea’s Cybercrimes
Pay for Weapons Programs
and Undermine Sanctions
Bruce Klingner
North Korea’s cyberattack capabilities
pose a grave threat to international peace
and security, as well as to the stability of
the global financial system.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Pyongyang conducts cybercrimes to fund
its nuclear and missile programs and to
undermine the eectiveness of interna-
tional sanctions.
The United States must work with the
private sector and foreign govern-
ments to augment cyber defenses and
respond more forcefully to North Korean
cyberattacks.
N
orth Korea’s nuclear weapons and missiles
pose a direct military threat to the United
States and its allies. Pyongyang has long
threatened to use its nuclear weapons in pre-emp-
tive attacks and vowed never to abandon its “trusted
shield” and “treasured sword”
1
in negotiations.
Similarly, Pyongyang’s cyberattack capabilities pose
a multi-faceted threat to international security since
the regime has successfully penetrated and inflicted
damage on military, government, media, and infra-
structure computer networks. North Korea could inflict
devastating damage during a crisis by simultaneously
targeting the military, financial, and infrastructure sec-
tors of one or several countries. Kim Jong-un declared
that cyber warfare is a “magic weapon”
2
and an “all-pur-
pose sword that guarantees the North Korean People’s
Armed Forces ruthless striking capability.”
3
