A former North Korean diplomat who was stationed in Thailand has been indicted on 20 counts of economic sanctions evasion, bank fraud, and international money laundering, according to the U.S. Justice Department.
A recently unsealed indictment reveals that diplomat Ri Myong Ho allegedly orchestrated the transfer of goods to North Korea through unlicensed U.S. dollar wire transfers, as stated by the U.S. Treasury Department.
In February 2015, Ri utilized his position at the North Korean embassy in Thailand to engage in negotiations for shipments to North Korea. According to the indictment, these shipments were facilitated through the use of front companies and co-conspirators based in Thailand and Malaysia.
Ri and his accomplices chose to route the shipments through Dalian, China, as a means to hide the true destinations of the goods.
The indictment stated that U.S. financial institutions processed multiple U.S. dollar transactions for the benefit of North Korea without realizing it.
“This defendant is accused of evading the sanctions implemented to safeguard our national security,” stated U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves. “Furthermore, he is alleged to have violated U.S. banking regulations in order to facilitate business dealings with North Korea, a foreign government with unlawful ambitions of expanding its nuclear program.”
Ri faces multiple charges, including conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and 18 counts of international money laundering.
According to the United Nations, North Korea has been utilizing its overseas embassies as a cover for engaging in commercial activities and illicit trade for quite some time.
According to a report by a U.N. Security Council Panel of Experts in 2019, diplomats from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea are actively involved in evading sanctions. The report highlighted their engagement in various illicit activities, including facilitating illegal shipments of goods and utilizing bank accounts and diplomatic transfers to transfer funds back to North Korea.
The official name of North Korea is the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
In its latest annual report, the panel reveals that North Korea has resorted to hacking and cybercrime as a means to finance its illicit weapons program, amassing approximately $3 billion from cyberattacks.
According to the United States, Russia is actively aiding North Korea in evading international sanctions, while also strengthening their military alliance. In a recent incident, Moscow used its veto power to block the renewal of the Panel of Experts’ mandate, which is responsible for monitoring the sanctions regime.
In a statement on Wednesday, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield mentioned that discussions are underway among Washington and its allies regarding the implementation of sanctions against North Korea. These conversations encompass a range of options within and beyond the U.N. system.
