North Korea Financial News

Henry Kissinger, a controversial Nobel Peace Prize winner and diplomatic powerhouse whose service under two presidents left an indelible mark on U.S. foreign policy, died on Wednesday at age 100, according to his geopolitical consulting firm Kissinger Associates Inc.Kissinger died at his home in Connecticut, Kissinger Associates said.Kissinger had been active past his centenary, attending meetings in the White House, publishing a book on leadership styles, and testifying before a Senate committee about the nuclear threat posed by North Korea.

Henry Kissinger, a controversial Nobel Peace Prize winner and diplomatic powerhouse whose service under two presidents left an indelible mark on U.S. foreign policy, died on Wednesday, according to Kissinger Associates Inc. Kissinger died at his home in Connecticut, Kissinger Associates said. Kissinger had been active past his centenary, attending meetings in the White House, publishing a book on leadership styles, and testifying before a Senate committee about the nuclear threat posed by North Korea.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on a virtual currency mixer the Treasury Department said has processed millions of dollars worth of cryptocurrency from major heists carried out by North Korea-linked hackers.

U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary, Wally Adeyemo, had choice words for “bad actors” in the crypto space while delivering remarks at the Blockchain Association’s Policy Summit in D.C. Wednesday.

According to a statement released Wednesday, the U.S. Treasury Department has placed sanctions on the government of North Korea’s crypto mixer, Sinbad.

The United States Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on cryptocurrency mixer Sinbad, alleging the platform was responsible for laundering funds for the North Korea-based hacking group Lazarus.

By Ju-min Park

Netflix debuted the first episode of the Korean drama "My Demon" on November 24, attracting a substantial audience. As of November 27, two episodes have been made available for streaming. The series, following the romantic tale of chaebol heiress Do Do-hee and the powerless demon Jung Gu-won, explores their unlikely love story as their lives become intertwined.

Crypto Coinbase has challenged the decision of the United States Treasury Department to include Tornado Cash, a decentralized software project, on the list of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN). This action, which was brought up in the Western District of Texas, marks a serious clash between the rapidly expanding cryptocurrency industry and the federal regulatory authorities.

Dunamu, the owner of Upbit, one of South Korea’s biggest crypto exchanges by trading volume, saw a drop of 81.6% in net profit in the third quarter of 2023 compared to the same period last year. 

rupee closed slightly higher on Tuesday, supported by foreign banks' dollar sales and softness in the greenback, which is hovering close to 3-month lows. The rupee ended at 83.3325 against the U.S. dollar, compared with its previous close at 83.3675. Asian currencies also rose, led by the Korean won and Indonesian rupiah which were up nearly 0.8% and 0.4%, respectively. While equity-related inflows and a weaker dollar are marginally supportive for the rupee, the currency continues to lack any directional momentum, said Dilip Parmar, a foreign exchange research analyst at HDFC Securities. Equity inflows worth $1.5 billion are expected this week following MSCI's decision to increase India's weight in its Emerging Market index effective from Nov.

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket had been scheduled to take place at California's Vandenberg Air Force Base in the United States. The South Korean Defence Ministry said in a brief statement on Tuesday the launch was delayed due to weather conditions. Ministry officials said the launch was tentatively rescheduled for this Saturday but it wasn't a fixed date.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reportedly received images of the White House, Pentagon, and US aircraft carriers captured by the country's newly launched spy satellite, as announced by state media KCNA on Tuesday. As reported by Reuters, the satellite, launched last week, is described by North Korea as a reconnaissance satellite designed for monitoring the military activities of both the United States and South Korea.

United States and North Korea, the United Nations ambassadors of both countries engaged in a heated debate at the Security Council on Monday. As reported by Reuters, the contentious discussion focused on North Korea's recent launch of its first spy satellite and the escalating tensions in the region. After an absence of nearly six years, North Korea resumed sending its envoy to UN Security Council meetings concerning its nuclear and ballistic missile programs in July.

Squid Game: The Challenge have raised complaints about Netflix allegedly subjecting them to living in the same 'nasty' tracksuits throughout the entire show. In the wake of the massive success of Squid Game, Netflix not only announced the production of another season but also introduced a reality game show inspired by the popular Korean series. Similar to the original Squid Game, 456 players vie for the chance to win an astonishing $456 million prize. However, participants have voiced strong criticisms against producers, with some even contemplating legal action due to perceived neglect of player safety. Contestant number 326, also known as Melissa, took to TikTok to disclose that players were required to wear a single outfit for the duration of their participation in Squid Games: The Challenge. Despite the limitation on clothing, contestants had access to underwear in bathroom drawers that they could change daily. The bathrooms also provided body wash, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and spray-on deodorant to support their hygiene. When “Squid Game” premiered on Netflix in 2021, viewers were both captivated and terrified by the deadly child-like games featured in the story. The streamer debuted a new 10-episode competition “Squid Game: The Challenge.” In this version, real people get the chance to take part in challenges inspired by the show — without the life-threatening consequences. Over 450 contestants from across the globe kick off the competition where the winner leaves with $4.56 million.

North Korea’s state-backed hacking group ‘Kimsuky,’ is supposedly behind a cryptocurrency heist, where hackers disguised as South Korean government agencies.

North Korea warned on Monday it would continue to exercise its sovereign rights, including through satellite launches, while its troops were reported to be restoring some demolished guard posts on the border with South Korea. North Korea's foreign ministry said the launch of a reconnaissance satellite last week was prompted by the need to monitor the United States and its allies, state media KCNA reported. «It is a legal and just way to exercise its right to defend itself and thoroughly respond to and precisely monitor the serious military action by the U.S. and its followers,» the KCNA report said. Nuclear-armed North Korea launched the satellite on Tuesday, saying it successfully entered orbit and was transmitting photographs, but South Korean defence officials and analysts said its capabilities have not been independently verified. The launch prompted South Korea to suspend a key clause in a 2018 inter-Korean military agreement and resume aerial surveillance near the border. North Korea in turn declared it was no longer bound by the agreement and would deploy weapons on the border with the South. Citing South Korean military officials, Yonhap news reported that North Korean soldiers had been observed bringing back heavy weapons into the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) border and setting up guard posts that the two countries demolished in the wake of the de-escalation agreement.

Bitcoin (BTC) deposits and withdrawals have returned to the Justin Sun-linked crypto exchange HTX, formerly Huobi, after it suffered a $30 million exploit on Nov. 22.

North Korea warned on Monday of exercising its sovereign rights including satellite launches, state media KCNA reported, citing the foreign ministry. The report carrying a statement by a foreign ministry official also criticized what it said was a joint statement by the U.S. and other countries aimed at its recent satellite launch.

By Hyonhee Shin

Netflix reality competition show Squid Game: The Challenge have threatened legal action over the alleged injuries they obtained while filming, including hypothermia and nerve damage.A British personal injuries law firm announced on Thursday that it sent letters of claim to the show’s production company, Studio Lambert, on behalf of two Squid Game: The Challenge contestants. The firm said its lawyers are currently in communication with other participants who may also want to file lawsuits.The law firm, Express Solicitors, said the unnamed competition show hopefuls were injured as a result of “poor health and safety standards on set.”Squid Game: The Challenge took the chaotic gameplay of Netflix’s smash hit Korean drama Squid Game and made it a reality — without the fatal consequences.