Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Ji-na said Thursday that South Korea is open to reviewing sanctions against North Korea when necessary, following the announcement of fresh U.S. sanctions on North Korean individuals and entities over illicit cyber activities.
“In cases of cryptocurrency theft by Pyongyang, coordination between South Korea and the U.S. is important, as it can be used to fund North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs and pose a threat to our digital ecosystem,” Kim said during an interview with Yonhap News TV.
“South Korea has been making joint efforts to curb illegal activities, and in that context, we can consider reviewing sanctions as a measure if they are really needed,” Kim added.
Her remarks came after Washington said Tuesday (U.S. time) that it has imposed sanctions on eight North Korean individuals and two entities for their involvement in laundering money stolen through illicit cyber activities.
Kim added that the U.S. is currently undergoing internal coordination regarding a joint fact sheet on the outcome of last week’s summit between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump.
“We are waiting as the U.S. side is currently working on adjusting and reviewing the wording,” Kim said.