North Korea is funding its weapons program with stolen cryptocurrency

Hacking has become a central strategy for Kim Jong-un’s regime to generate revenue and soften the blow of economic sanctions. A new report from the United Nations, seen by the Associated Press, outlines the considerable breadth of the operation, which it says is being used to fund the development of weapons of mass destruction.

The news: Last week, several media outlets reported the UN’s conclusion that North Korea has stolen as much as $2 billion using “widespread and increasingly sophisticated” cyberattacks on financial institutions and cryptocurrency exchanges. The AP has now seen a lengthier version of the report, which provides more detail about the attacks. UN experts say they are looking into at least 35 instances in 17 countries in which North Korea used a cyberattack to raise money for its weapons programs.

The targets: North Korea’s hackers appear to have done the most damage in South Korea. The report counts 10 attacks there, including four leveled at Bithumb,…