US expands North Korean IT worker scheme clampdown with more sanctions

The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control has imposed sanctions on Russian national Vitaly Sergeyevich Andreyev, North Korean national Kim Ung Sun, North Korean firm Korea Sinjin Trading Corp., and Chinese front company Shenyang Geumpungri Network Technology as part of intensified federal efforts to disrupt North Korea's far-reaching IT worker scheme, CyberScoop reports. Andreyev was accused of enabling payments to the North Korea military-linked Chinyong Information Technology Cooperation Co. that had been sanctioned due to IT worker teams in Russia and Laos, according to the Treasury Department, which also noted collaboration between Andreyev and Kim in laundering almost $600,000 worth of cryptocurrency since December. Meanwhile, Chinyong's Chinese front Shenyang Geumpungri has operated a group of North Korean IT workers that has earned $1 million for the parent firm and fellow North Korean military-linked Sinjin, according to officials. Such a development comes more than a month after the U.S. unveiled a $15 million bounty for any information that would help apprehend North Koreans involved in various illicit activities.