NK weekly-external news

Summary of external news of North Korea this week

SEOUL, July 8 (Yonhap) -- The following is a summary of external news of North Korea this week.

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FBI, treasury department issue joint advisory against N. Korean ransomware

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issued a cybersecurity advisory on Wednesday against ransomware that it said is being used by North Korean state-sponsored cyber actors.

The advisory, jointly issued by Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the Department of Treasury, said North Korean hackers have been using Maui ransomware since at least May 2021 to target healthcare and public health (HPH) sector organizations.

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S. Korea to create 'strategic command' to lead 'three-axis' system against N.K. threats

SEOUL -- South Korea will push to launch a "strategic command" as an overarching organ to implement its "three-axis" defense system aimed at countering North Korea's evolving nuclear and missile threats, the defense ministry said Wednesday.

President Yoon Suk-yeol and top commanders discussed the issue and other key defense priorities during their meeting at the Gyeryongdae military headquarters, 160 kilometers south of Seoul. He presided over the top brass' session for the first time since assuming office in May.

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N. Korea may not conduct nuke test 'right away' due to rainy season: outgoing JCS chief

SEOUL -- The outgoing top South Korean military officer on Tuesday said North Korea may not find it easy to press ahead with a nuclear test "right away" due to the rainy season, though it has made preparations for it.

Gen. Won In-choul,chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), was speaking to reporters during a brief farewell meeting amid speculation over the possibility and timing of the North carrying out what would be its seventh nuclear test at the mountainous Punggye-ri site.

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