In 2024, North Korea reportedly stole over $659 million in cryptocurrency through cyber heists, according to assessments from the United States, South Korea, and Japan. The country’s cyber operations have escalated significantly, with a total of $1.34 billion stolen across 47 separate incidents, doubling the previous year's total. In response to these rising threats, the U.S. and South Korea have increased sanctions and cooperation aimed at targeting key IT professionals and entities associated with North Korea's cyber activities. Recently, the U.S. Treasury sanctioned two individuals and four entities linked to North Korea's illicit IT worker network, which is believed to support the regime's weapons of mass destruction and missile programs. The North Korean office responsible for these schemes, known as Department 53, was established to redirect funds back into the country’s military ambitions.