North Korea( The COW News Digital )North Korea has reportedly found a new way to bypass international sanctions — by exploiting cryptocurrency networks to fund its weapons programs and evade global restrictions. A monitoring group tracking UN sanctions, known as MSMT, revealed that Pyongyang is using stolen digital assets to purchase weapons, raw materials, and other restricted goods.
According to the report, North Korea has built an extensive cyber network by deploying thousands of IT professionals across multiple countries. Most of these operatives are based in China, while others are scattered across Russia, Laos, Cambodia, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea, Nigeria, and Tanzania.
The report further disclosed that North Korea plans to send 40,000 more workers to Russia, many of whom will be skilled IT experts capable of conducting cyber operations and financial crimes.
Between January and September 2025, North Korea’s cyber units allegedly stole at least $1.65 billion worth of cryptocurrency. In one of the largest thefts this year, hackers reportedly stole $1.4 billion from the digital exchange Bybit in February alone. These figures are in addition to the $1.2 billion in illegal crypto funds obtained by North Korean-linked hackers in 2024.
Investigators say the stolen funds are being funneled into the regime’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, helping Pyongyang maintain its weapons development despite years of strict UN embargoes.
The report also highlights North Korea’s use of stablecoins — a form of cryptocurrency pegged to traditional assets like the US dollar — for purchasing military equipment and raw materials, including copper, a key component in ammunition production.
Under existing UN sanctions, North Korean nationals are barred from working abroad to prevent the flow of foreign currency to the regime. However, the MSMT report notes that Russia has increasingly supported Pyongyang in defying these restrictions, particularly since Moscow’s deepening military engagement in Ukraine.
Formed in October 2024, MSMT operates as an independent international monitoring group overseeing compliance with UN sanctions against North Korea. Although not officially part of the UN, its members include the United States, United Kingdom, South Korea, Japan, France, Germany, Italy, Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.
The revelations add to growing global concern that North Korea’s digital operations have become a major financial lifeline for its sanctioned weapons industry — and a new frontier in global cybersecurity threats.
