US sanctions N. Korean network accused of defrauding businesses

The United States imposed sanctions on Wednesday on North Korean IT workers and facilitators accused of defrauding businesses to generate revenue for Pyongyang’s weapons programs. The Treasury Department said the workers fraudulently obtained jobs and that North Korea took most of their wages. The targets include the First Financial and Technical Development Center and six individuals linked to it, with workers based in North Korea and Russia. The measures come as U.S. efforts to restart diplomacy with Pyongyang have shown little progress.

The Treasury Department said Australia and the European Union also imposed North Korea-related sanctions this month.

The Treasury Department said the schemes generated funds for North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs.

The Treasury Department sanctioned a separate North Korean IT worker network in March.

Trump held summits with Kim in 2018 and 2019, but the diplomatic efforts broke down over U.S. demands that North Korea give up its nuclear weapons.

The administration has continued to call for North Korea’s denuclearization and has not formally recognized it as a nuclear-weapons state.

Published Oct 29, 2026 12:31 am KST

The United States imposed sanctions on Wednesday to target what the Treasury Department said were North Korean government-run schemes that use IT workers to defraud U.S. businesses and generate revenue for Pyongyang's weapons programs.

The Treasury Department said the schemes involve North Korean IT workers fraudulently gaining employment with companies in the United States and elsewhere, and Pyongyang taking most of the workers' wages to fund its weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs.

"These networks permeate through the global financial system, necessitating a unified response to match the threat," the department said in a statement, adding that Australia and the European Union also imposed North Korea-related sanctions this month.

North Korea's mission to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The sanctions come as U.S. President Donald Trump has been eager to jump-start talks with North Korea, but Pyongyang has shown little interest in diplomacy aimed at containing its nuclear program. However, earlier this month Trump downplayed the idea of another high-profile meeting with Kim in China next month.

Trump became the only U.S. president to have met a North Korean leader when he held an unprecedented series of summits with Kim in 2018 and 2019, but the diplomatic efforts broke down over U.S. demands that North Korea give up its nuclear weapons.

Trump has since referred to North Korea repeatedly as a "nuclear power," although his administration has continued to call for the country's denuclearization and has not formally recognized it as a nuclear-weapons state.

Wednesday's sanctions targets include facilitators and North Korean IT workers based in North Korea and Russia, the Treasury Department said. The targeted entity is named the First Financial and Technical Development Center, and six of the sanctioned individuals are linked to that firm.

美国周三对涉嫌欺诈企业、为平壤武器项目牟利的朝鲜IT从业人员和相关人员实施制裁。美国财政部称，这些从业人员通过欺诈手段获得工作，朝鲜则截留了他们的大部分工资。制裁对象包括第一金融技术发展中心及其六名关联人员，这些人员分布在朝鲜和俄罗斯。与此同时，美国重启与平壤外交的努力进展甚微。

美国财政部表示，澳大利亚和欧盟本月也对朝鲜实施了相关制裁。

美国财政部表示，这些计划为朝鲜的大规模杀伤性武器和弹道导弹计划筹集了资金。

今年3月，美国财政部对一个独立的朝鲜IT工作者网络实施了制裁。

特朗普在 2018 年和 2019 年与金正恩举行了峰会，但由于美国要求朝鲜放弃核武器，外交努力破裂。

美国政府一直呼吁朝鲜实现无核化，并且没有正式承认朝鲜为核武器国家。

发布于2026年10月29日凌晨12:31（韩国标准时间）

美国周三实施制裁，目标是财政部所称的朝鲜政府利用IT从业人员欺骗美国企业并为平壤武器计划创造收入的计划。

美国财政部表示，这些计划涉及朝鲜IT从业人员通过欺诈手段在美国和其他地方的公司获得工作，而平壤则拿走这些从业人员的大部分工资，用于资助其大规模杀伤性武器和弹道导弹计划。

“这些网络渗透到全球金融体系中，因此需要采取统一的应对措施来应对这一威胁，”该部门在一份声明中表示，并补充说，澳大利亚和欧盟本月也对朝鲜实施了制裁。

朝鲜常驻纽约联合国代表团尚未对此事作出回应。

美国总统特朗普一直渴望重启与朝鲜的对话，但平壤方面对旨在遏制其核计划的外交努力兴趣寥寥，因此实施了这些制裁。不过，本月初，特朗普淡化了下个月在中国与金正恩举行另一次高级别会晤的可能性。

特朗普在 2018 年和 2019 年与金正恩举行了一系列史无前例的峰会，成为唯一一位与朝鲜领导人会面的美国总统，但由于美国要求朝鲜放弃核武器，外交努力最终破裂。

此后，特朗普多次将朝鲜称为“核大国”，尽管他的政府一直呼吁朝鲜实现无核化，并且没有正式承认朝鲜是核武器国家。

美国财政部周三宣布，制裁对象包括协助者以及身处朝鲜和俄罗斯的朝鲜籍IT从业人员。被制裁实体名为“第一金融技术发展中心”，六名受制裁个人与该公司有关联。