U.S. Department of State
08/26/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/26/2025 12:09
U.S., Japan, and ROK Join Mandiant to Counter North Korean IT Worker Threats
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U.S., Japan, and ROK Join Mandiant to Counter North Korean IT Worker Threats
Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
August 26, 2025
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.
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Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Information and Communication Technology Japan North Korea Office of the Spokesperson South Korea Technology
U.S. Department of State published this content on August 26, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on August 26, 2025 at 18:09 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]