North Korea's hacker army stole up to $2bn, UN finds

Agents set up shop across the globe to grab cryptocurrencies

20190806N North Korea flag binary codes REUTERS

North Korea has expanded its scope and sophistication of its cyber operations, according to the UN. © Reuters

YUMIKO OSHIMA, Nikkei staff writer

NEW YORK -- North Korean online operatives have illegally acquired as much as $2 billion over three years, according to a draft United Nations report obtained by Nikkei, underscoring how far the government has evaded financial sanctions.

At least 35 cyberattacks have been carried out in 17 countries, the still-unpublished report says. Hacks targeted financial institutions and cryptocurrency exchanges, and also involved cryptocurrency mining.

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