U.S., Japan, and ROK Join Mandiant to Counter North Korean IT Worker Threats

The U.S. Department of State, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea (ROK), in partnership with Mandiant, co-hosted a  forum in Tokyo on August 26 for over 130 attendees representing the trilateral governments and relevant industry partners including,  freelance work platforms, payment service providers, cryptocurrency companies, AI industries, and other Web3 technology companies. These companies are commonly targeted by North Korean actors in order to generate revenue through illicit Information Technology (IT) work schemes.  The event provided a forum for public and private sectors to bolster their collective defenses against deceptive North Korean IT worker tactics.

North Korean state-directed IT workers generate revenue for North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missile programs, violating U.S. sanctions and multiple UN Security Council resolutions.  Engaging with these workers exposes companies to theft of sensitive data and assets, reputational harm and legal consequences, as well as increased risk of targeting by malicious North Korean cyber actors.

The United States remains committed to combatting North Korea’s sanctions violations and will continue to strengthen collaboration with Japan, the Republic of Korea, and our industry partners to address this threat.