US Treasury proposes expanding tech investment restrictions to N. Korea

The U.S. Treasury Department proposed expanding restrictions on American investments in sensitive technologies to North Korea, Russia, Iran and Cuba, in Washington. The proposal would extend the Outbound Investment Security Program, which currently covers China, including Hong Kong and Macau. It would prohibit some investments involving covered foreign entities and require notification for others. Public comments are open through Dec. 7, after which Treasury expects to issue final rules.

The proposal would implement the Comprehensive Outbound Investment National Security Act, enacted in December last year as part of the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act.

Covered technology sectors include semiconductors, microelectronics, artificial intelligence, quantum information technologies, high-performance computing and supercomputing.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the proposed rules aim to prevent adversaries from using U.S. investment to develop critical technologies that threaten U.S. national security.

Published Oct 24, 2026 1:28 am KST

The seal of the Treasury Department is seen before a news conference, Aug. 24, at the Treasury Department in Washington. AP-Yonhap

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Treasury Department has proposed expanding restrictions on American investments in sensitive technologies to include North Korea and several other countries, as Washington seeks to prevent adversaries from using U.S. capital to develop advanced military capabilities.

The proposed regulations, detailed in a notice scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on Thursday, would expand the existing Outbound Investment Security Program, which currently covers China, including Hong Kong and Macau, to include North Korea, Russia, Iran and Cuba, according to the Treasury Department.

The proposal seeks to implement the Comprehensive Outbound Investment National Security Act, enacted in December last year as part of the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act.

Under the proposal, certain investments by U.S. persons involving covered foreign entities engaged in specified sensitive technologies would be prohibited, while other transactions would be subject to notification requirements.

The regulations would cover specified activities in key technology sectors, including semiconductors, microelectronics, artificial intelligence (AI), quantum information technologies, high-performance computing and supercomputing.

"The proposed regulations would strengthen the existing Outbound Investment Security Program to prevent our adversaries from using U.S. investment to develop critical technologies that threaten U.S. national security," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.

The proposed regulations are subject to public comments through Dec. 7, with the department expected to issue final implementing rules at a later date.

美国财政部在华盛顿提议扩大对朝鲜、俄罗斯、伊朗和古巴等敏感技术领域美国投资的限制。该提议将扩大目前涵盖中国大陆（包括香港和澳门）的“境外投资安全计划”（Outbound Investment Security Program）的适用范围。新提议将禁止涉及特定外国实体的某些投资，并要求对其他投资进行申报。公众意见征询期至12月7日，之后财政部预计将发布最终规则。

该提案将落实去年 12 月颁布的《全面对外投资国家安全法》，该法案是 2026 财年国防授权法案的一部分。

涵盖的技术领域包括半导体、微电子、人工智能、量子信息技术、高性能计算和超级计算。

美国财政部长斯科特·贝森特表示，拟议规则旨在防止对手利用美国投资开发威胁美国国家安全的关键技术。

发布于2026年10月24日凌晨1点28分（韩国标准时间）

8月24日，在华盛顿财政部举行的新闻发布会前，人们看到了财政部的印章。（美联社-韩联社）

华盛顿——美国财政部提议扩大对美国在敏感技术领域投资的限制，将朝鲜和其他几个国家也纳入其中，华盛顿此举旨在防止对手利用美国资本发展先进的军事能力。

据财政部称，拟议的法规将在周四于《联邦公报》上发布的通知中详细说明，该法规将扩大现有的境外投资安全计划的适用范围，该计划目前涵盖中国（包括香港和澳门），并将朝鲜、俄罗斯、伊朗和古巴纳入其中。

该提案旨在落实去年 12 月颁布的《全面对外投资国家安全法》，该法案是 2026 财年国防授权法案的一部分。

根据该提案，美国人士对从事特定敏感技术的受监管外国实体进行的某些投资将被禁止，而其他交易将受到通知要求的约束。

该法规将涵盖关键技术领域的特定活动，包括半导体、微电子、人工智能 (AI)、量子信息技术、高性能计算和超级计算。

“拟议的法规将加强现有的对外投资安全计划，以防止我们的对手利用美国投资开发威胁美国国家安全的关键技术，”财政部长斯科特·贝森特在一份声明中表示。

拟议的法规将于 12 月 7 日前接受公众意见，预计该部门将在稍后发布最终实施细则。