N. Korea likely to ramp up cyber attacks against S. Korea, U.S. this year amid prolonged sanctions: expert

SEOUL, April 19 (Yonhap) -- North Korea is likely to continue increasing cyber attacks against financial institutions and think tanks in South Korea, the United States and other countries amid economic challenges, a researcher at a state-run think tank said Monday.

Oh Il-Seok, a researcher at the state-run Institute for National Security Strategy (INSS), also noted that the North's growing cyber threats could backfire, pushing the Joe Biden administration to regard them as "serious threats" and to take more aggressive measures against Pyongyang.

"North Korea is expected to continue increasing cyber attacks on financial institutions and cryptocurrency exchanges across the globe in 2021 to raise foreign currency as trade with China has been suspended due to COVID-19 and as strict U.S. and U.N. sanctions have protracted," he said.

Oh added that in the case of a mass-scale cyber attack by the North, the U.S. could impose economic sanctions against the North and even "physically strike" specific facilities where the cyber attacks are originating with drones.

The expert also warned that the North could launch cyber attacks on the South Korean government and U.S. think tanks related to nuclear talks, as well as other experts on North Korea.

julesyi@yna.co.kr
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