SEOUL – The United States, South Korea and Japan agreed on new initiatives on Dec 9 to respond to North Korea’s threats in cyberspace, including cryptocurrency abuses and space launches, said White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.
The three countries’ national security advisers met in Seoul as Pyongyang warned that it would deploy more spy satellites.
Mr Sullivan said the meeting followed up on commitments set forth at the Camp David summit hosted by US President Joe Biden in August, where leaders of the three allies pledged to deepen security and economic cooperation.
“We’ve also launched new trilateral initiatives to counter the threats posed by the DPRK, from its cybercrime and cryptocurrency money laundering to its reckless space and ballistic missile tests,” Mr Sullivan told reporters, using the initials of North Korea’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
His Japanese counterpart Takeo Akiba said North Korea’s “illicit cyber activities” had emerged as the most recent challenges, calling them “a source of funds” for the isolated state’s nuclear missile development.
The allies’ coordinated efforts would also target potential threats of economic coercion, Mr Sullivan said, and they have finalised work on a supply chain early warning system, agreed to at Camp David, in critical minerals and rechargeable batteries.
The Biden administration held the meeting at Camp David with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to project unity in the face of China’s growing power and nuclear threats from North Korea.
Mr Sullivan said the nations “continue to stand up for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and freedom of navigation in the East and South China seas”.
North Korean state media said on Dec 9 that Pyongyang was determined to launch more spy satellites soon, calling space development part of its right to defend itself, as any other country has.
Mr Sullivan disputed that claim, saying North Korea’s satellite launches involve ballistic missile technologies that violate United Nations resolutions.
Sanctions monitors have accused North Korea of using cyber attacks to gather funds for its nuclear and missile programmes, and a UN report said Pyongyang had stepped up its cryptocurrency theft in 2022, using sophisticated techniques to steal more than in any other year.
North Korea has denied allegations of hacking or other cyber attacks.
After talks with Mr Sullivan and Mr Akiba, South Korean National Security Adviser Cho Tae-yong said the three had also exchanged ideas on Ukraine and Middle East issues.
They discussed growing military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, and all three were confident that the North was supplying weapons to Russia in its war on Ukraine, Mr Sullivan said.
North Korea has denied any arms transfer with Moscow. REUTERS
