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U.S. offers rewards of up to $15 million for info on North Koreans in illicit revenue generation schemes

Published: 25 Jul. 2025, 09:56

The State Department in Washington [YONHAP]

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration will provide rewards totaling up to $15 million for information leading to arrests or convictions of seven North Koreans involved in illicit schemes to generate revenue for Pyongyang's weapons programs, the State Department said.

The department's Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program is offering the rewards for information related to the North Korean nationals — Sim Hyon-sop and six co-conspirators — the department said, stressing that the U.S. will not "stand idly" when Pyongyang seeks to gain profits from "criminal" activities.

Sim and the co-conspirators were charged for their role in illicit activities to buy and sell tobacco from North Korea to gain access to U.S. dollars.

The reward offers include an increase of up to $7 million for Sim, up to $3 million each for Myong Chol-min and Kim Se-un and up to $500,000 each for Kim Yong-bok, Kim Chol-min, Ri Tong-min and Ri Won-ho, the department said.

Sim and some of his co-conspirators, including Kim Se-un, have also been involved in illicit information technology worker schemes. The North is thought to have sent thousands of IT workers abroad to orchestrate fraudulent IT work, often to Russia and China, the department said.

Also on Thursday, the Treasury Department sanctioned Korea Sobaeksu Trading Company, which has previously deployed North Korean IT workers to Vietnam, and three North Korean nationals, including Kim Se-un, Myong and Jo Kyong-hun, who have been involved in illicit revenue generation schemes.

"Today's actions illustrate the U.S. government's commitment to mitigating such threats posed by North Korea to protect U.S. companies, the U.S. financial system, and American citizens," the department said.

"The United States will not stand idly by while North Korea profits from criminal activity to fund its destabilizing actions."

Yonhap