Alphabiz - North Korea Stole Over KRW 2 Trillion in Crypto Last Year: NIS

Photo courtesy of Yonhap News

[Alpha Biz= Ellie Kim] North Korea is estimated to have stolen more than KRW 2 trillion (approximately USD 1.5 billion) in cryptocurrency last year, marking the largest annual total on record, according to the National Intelligence Service.

In its annual report, the agency said North Korean cyber groups carried out large-scale attacks across defense and IT sectors, exploiting vulnerabilities in domestic document management systems to create administrator accounts and extract sensitive data. The number of leaked files is estimated to range from hundreds to as many as 2.6 million.

A hacking group known as Andariel infiltrated IT service providers to access infrastructure networks, seizing control of over 20 servers and stealing key materials such as technical blueprints. Attack methods have also become more sophisticated, including the use of deepfake video interviews to secure jobs at overseas firms, supply chain intrusions, and even remotely wiping smartphones to evade detection.

In response, the South Korean government has strengthened its cybersecurity framework, launching a nationwide “Cyber 119” response system and introducing new security standards to better protect critical data and emerging technologies such as AI and cloud computing.

Alphabiz Ellie Kim 인턴기자(press@alphabiz.co.kr)