S. Korea, U.S., Japan to team up for tracing N. Korea’s illegal cyber activities

South Korea, the United States and Japan have agreed to bolster joint efforts to combat North Korea's illegal cyber activities, which are increasingly targeting the virtual currency industry, the presidential office said Monday. The agreement was reached during a virtual meeting on Friday, attended by Wang Yun-jong, the third deputy national security adviser; Anne Neuberger, the U.S. deputy national security advisor for cyber and emerging technologies; and Keiichi Ichikawa, deputy head of Japan's National Security Secretariat. "The three sides assessed North Korea's illegal cyber activities, which fund North Korea's weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs, are becoming more sophisticated," the office said in a statement. "Global virtual currency exchanges, including those in South Korea, the U.S. and Japan, have become their primary target." The three sides stressed the importance of strengthening partnerships with the private sector, particularly with cryptocurrency service providers, to raise awareness of Pyongyang's cyber threats. "They agreed to collaborate with like-minded countries to trace forces behind North Korea's illegal cyber activities and take necessary measures to address the threats," it added. North Korea is estimated to have earned more than US$6 billion through hacking and other illicit activities over the past seven years despite facing heavy international sanctions, according to the state-run Institute for National Security Strategy. Source: Yonhap News Agency