Is North Korea's Nuclear Program funded by Stolen cryptocurrency?

North Korea has been on a spending spree in recent years, and it's gotten a lot more obvious than that over the past few months. The government has been pouring tens of millions into its nuclear weapons program, and those funds were all but wiped out when the WannaCry cyberattack back in February revealed the true source of North Korea's cash. Now, in light of another financial crisis looming, the Kim Jong Un regime is looking to its other major financial backer for help with its nuclear program. Sino-North Korean relations have taken a nosedive in recent months, as China has accused the North Korean government of being behind an Al Qaeda-style attacks on electronic key cards used by public servants and banks. And now, the country's other main military ally—the United States—hasn't stood behind its word either. The US Treasury Department, which oversees the Departments of Treasury and Commerce, reportedly provided a loan to North Korea worth $1 billion last September as part of an effort to provide "a new generation with access to reliable energy resources" — conveniently timed to coincide with WannaCry. But that loan was never extended again, leaving U.S. taxpayers badfully grasping at any hope left to stop Pyongyang from enriching itself at its own cost.

What is North Korea's nuclear program funded by stolen cryptocurrency?

North Korea has been on a spending spree in recent years, and it's gotten a lot more obvious than that over the past few months. The government has been pouring tens of millions into its nuclear weapons program, and those funds were all but wipe out when the WannaCry cyberattack back in February revealed the true source of North Korea's cash. Now, in light of another financial crisis looming, the Kim Jong Un regime is looking to its other major financial backer for help with its nuclear program. That satellite phone company, China National Radio, has been China's biggest trading partner in North Korea since the end of the Korean War in 1953. And since then, the two nations have been at war, with China accusing the North Korean government of aggression and North Korea responding with threats and cyberattacks.

Fraud and theft on the rise in North Korea

The number of financial fraud and stolen funds reported in North Korea each year is quite large, with about $30 million or so listed as missing, according to the Korea Resource and Information Center (KRIC). That's often because North Korea uses a variety of different accounts to cover its financial transactions, and some of those accounts may not be legitimate. The KRIC also reports that a "network of racketeers"—people with enough access to the right account and financial network to commit financial fraud—is responsible for flooding the Korean peninsula with "stolen funds" from other countries, including China, India, and the United States.

North Korea advances intercontinental ballistic missile

In addition to the large losses incurred by North Korea in the wake of WannaCry and the destruction of its satellite communications system, the Kim Jong Un regime has also been experiencing shortages of expensive gas and oil. The country is using these shortages as a "pitch" for developing its intercontinental ballistic missile program, Pyongyang's leading arms maker last year said. North Korea has also been receiving more financial support from other countries, including the US and South Korea, through "loans," loans that are often in the thousands of dollars.

US intensifies military presence in Asia

As tensions between North Korea and the west rise, the US has also been stepping up its military presence in the Asia-Pacific region. With US bases now spread across the South China Sea, the Pacific Ocean, and the Indian Ocean, and the Trump administration has also proposed expanding the US military presence in Africa and the Arabian peninsula, these regions are seeing increased military activity.

US, South Korea to test limited-missile launch

In late January, the US Air Force conducted a test launch of an intermediate-range missile at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. The test is the latest in a series of limited-missile launches from the US Navy and Air Force over the past few months. The test launch was only the latest in a series of "test launches," or launch "releases," from the US Navy and Air Force over recent months, which have all aimed at demonstrating the range and accuracy of the new Air Force Vulcan ballistic missile system, which is based on the interim Air Force Blue Missile.

Going from zero to $1billion a month: The collapse of the Kim Jong Un regime

In addition to all the other losses sustained in the wake of WannaCry and the destruction of its satellite communications system, the Kim Jong Un regime has also been experiencing a significant effort to expand its economy. This year, North Korea has been closely following up on its third-generation Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) program, which is due to be tested in 2020. The missile is intended to become an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of striking every part of the US, and North Korea has been closely following up on its ICBM program, which is due to be tested in 2020.

The real cost of Kim Jong Un's nuclear program

The real cost of North Korea's nuclear program is being calculated by the head of the country's procurement department, Kim Kwon-hwan, who is tasked with accounting for all costs related to the country's nuclear program. The cost of North Korea's nuclear weapons program includes the cost of all components, including production and production-based research and development, design and development, testing and verification, maintenance, and operational costs. These costs are all being closely monitored by the international community because they could all lead to a North Korea that is unable to pay its bills.

The North Korean government is crawling toward financial ruin, thanks in no small part to its decades-long reliance on stolen cryptocurrency

The North Korean government has also been in financial trouble thanks to a series of financial meltdowns in recent years. In late 2016 and early 2017, North Korea was forced to make an abrupt and costly change in its financial system when it went into default on its debt. The country used a variety of different financial institutions, including commercial banks and Western-based alternative financial services providers, to fund its various projects. These various projects included building a wall on the Korean peninsula, building a hospital, and even attempting to build a large-scale railway.