Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take to contribute to the initiative at the UN Security Council to refer the human rights situation in North Korea to the International Criminal Court.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK remains committed to working with international partners to hold the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) to account for their human rights violations. We hold regular meetings with other UN Security Council member states to identify ways in which we can improve the DPRK's human rights record. The UK also regularly cosponsors resolutions on the human rights situation in DPRK at the UN Human Rights Council and UN General Assembly Third Committee. We will continue to engage with key partners and allies to ensure the need for accountability remains at the heart of the international community's work to improve the human rights situation in the DPRK.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the volume of munitions North Korea has sent to Russia in its war against Ukraine; and whether they plan to engage with the International Criminal Court to ensure that the involvement of North Korea is considered as part of its investigations into crimes in Ukraine.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
Russia's increasing reliance on support from the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) to help wage its illegal invasion of Ukraine demonstrates its underlying weakness. As we have said publicly, the DPRK is believed to have supplied 20,000 containers of munitions to Russia, and its artillery and mortar shells account for 60% of those used in Russia's brutal war of aggression against Ukraine. DPRK must immediately withdraw its troops and stop its provision of thousands of munitions, arms and other materiel. Together with our partners, we are taking action against those who enable Russia's war, including through sanctions.
The UK is fully committed to holding Russia to account for its illegal and barbaric actions in Ukraine. We welcome the progress the International Criminal Court (ICC) is making in its investigation, including the issuing of arrest warrants. The ICC is an independent judicial institution, and it is for the ICC Prosecutor to determine who should be prosecuted.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the current human rights situation in North Korea; and how they are planning to respond to the recommendations of the APPG on North Korea's report Inquiry into Human Rights Violations in North Korea 2014-2020/1, published on 20 July 2021.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK remains deeply concerned by unacceptable reports of ongoing, widespread, and systematic human rights violations in the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK). The UK remains active in many of the APPG's 2021 report recommendations and regularly calls on the DPRK government, through multilateral and bilateral channels, to address its appalling human rights record. Most recently, in April 2025, the UK co-sponsored a UN Human Right Council resolution renewing the UN Special Rapporteur mandate for a further year and requesting that the High Commissioner for Human Rights (HCHR) provide updates to the UN Human Right Council to include options for strengthening accountability.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of expanding and extending sanctions against Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains steadfast in our commitment to limit Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) weapons programmes and counter their proliferation activity through maintaining a robust sanctions regime This includes an extensive range of UN sanctions covering financial, trade, aircraft, shipping and immigration measures. We continue to keep our DPRK sanctions regime under close review. We do not comment on future or potential expansions of our DPRK sanctions regime as this could affect their impact: we will continue to keep this regime under close review.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of cybercrime from North Korea on the UK.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)
The UK is one of the most digital, connected and online countries in the world. This increases our exposure to a range of cyber threats including from states, ransomware gangs, and cyber criminals. Cyber crime causes immense damage to people and businesses across the world and is a top priority for the Government.
The UK is concerned around the threat DPRK poses through cyber activity, not only to cybersecurity, but to economic security and national security. The UK works closely with our allies to deter all malign actors from conducting malicious cyber activity. This includes through targeted sanctions, public attributions and working closely with partners to encourage capacity building and cyber deterrence.
We have been clear that we will not tolerate malicious cyber activity. The DPRK has repeatedly acted in violation of internationally agreed cyber norms. The NCSC continues to work with partners to understand and address the risk to the UK.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of trends in the level of cryptocurrency theft by North Korea; what steps he is taking to (a) trace the assets and (b) prevent further illicit transactions; and whether he has considered (i) the imposition of sanctions on (A) cryptocurrency and (B) related entities linked to North Korea and (ii) other steps to help strengthen security regulatory protocols.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has been consistent in challenging malicious cyber activity carried out by North Korean groups. This has included exposing and sanctioning North Korean actors for disruptive attacks that impacted the National Health Service. The National Cyber Security Centre has also issued multiple Cyber Security Advisories specifically on threats from North Korean groups, informing the UK technical audience on the way these groups operate and ways to defend against them.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to prevent North Korean cyber criminals laundering stolen funds through UK institutions.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is aware of reporting relating to the recent cyber activity linked to the DPRK, involving the cryptocurrency exchange ByBit. The UK works closely with our allies to deter all malign actors from conducting malicious cyber activity. This includes through targeted sanctions, public attributions and working closely with partners to encourage capacity building and cyber deterrence.
Under the Money Laundering Regulations, it is mandatory for banks and other financial institutions to apply enhanced due diligence to all transactions linked to North Korea to ensure they do not involve the proceeds of crime. In addition, the UK’s DPRK sanctions regime imposes broad restrictions of a financial nature, including prohibitions on UK financial institutions establishing or maintaining financial relationships with DPRK financial institutions. The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation works to support UK businesses, including financial institutions, to comply with sanctions on the DPRK. This includes publication of advisory notices such as the Advisory on North Korean IT Workers published in September 2024.
Cryptoassets, specifically cryptoasset exchange providers and custodian wallet providers, have been regulated under the Money Laundering Regulations since January 2020. UK cryptoasset firms must register with the Financial Conduct Authority which acts as a supervisory body to ensure firms have appropriate systems in place to prevent money laundering. The money laundering risk these cryptoasset firms are exposed to will be assessed in the updated National Risk Assessment of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing, due to be published later this year.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the vulnerabilities of cryptocurrency to North Korean criminals.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is aware of reporting relating to the recent cyber activity linked to the DPRK, involving the cryptocurrency exchange ByBit. The UK works closely with our allies to deter all malign actors from conducting malicious cyber activity. This includes through targeted sanctions, public attributions and working closely with partners to encourage capacity building and cyber deterrence.
Under the Money Laundering Regulations, it is mandatory for banks and other financial institutions to apply enhanced due diligence to all transactions linked to North Korea to ensure they do not involve the proceeds of crime. In addition, the UK’s DPRK sanctions regime imposes broad restrictions of a financial nature, including prohibitions on UK financial institutions establishing or maintaining financial relationships with DPRK financial institutions. The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation works to support UK businesses, including financial institutions, to comply with sanctions on the DPRK. This includes publication of advisory notices such as the Advisory on North Korean IT Workers published in September 2024.
Cryptoassets, specifically cryptoasset exchange providers and custodian wallet providers, have been regulated under the Money Laundering Regulations since January 2020. UK cryptoasset firms must register with the Financial Conduct Authority which acts as a supervisory body to ensure firms have appropriate systems in place to prevent money laundering. The money laundering risk these cryptoasset firms are exposed to will be assessed in the updated National Risk Assessment of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing, due to be published later this year.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the recent $1.5 billion cryptocurrency theft by North Korea; what steps he has taken to trace the assets and prevent further illicit transactions; what steps have been discussed to strengthen security protocols; and whether this has included the imposition of sanctions on cryptocurrency and related entities linked to North Korea.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government is aware of reporting relating to the recent cyber activity linked to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, involving the cryptocurrency exchange ByBit. The UK has been consistent in challenging malicious cyber activity carried out by North Korean groups. This has included exposing and sanctioning North Korean actors for disruptive attacks that impacted the NHS. The National Cyber Security Centre has also issued multiple Cyber Security Advisories specifically on threats from North Korean groups, informing UK technical audience on the way these groups operate and ways to defend against them. We do not comment on future sanctions as this could affect their impact.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports from the government of South Korea that a further 3,000 North Korean troops have been sent to fight in the war in Ukraine this year; and what measures they have taken to hold those responsible to account.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence is aware of recent reports in the press citing South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff that DPRK has subsequently deployed a further 3,000 additional troops in support of Russian Forces in Kursk.
As stated by the Foreign Secretary previously, such cooperation between Russia and the DPRK is not only in violation of multiple UNSC resolutions, but also prolongs the suffering of the Ukrainian people and threatens global security, including those in the ROK and the UK, and demonstrates the desperation of the DPRK and Russia. We are committed to providing the support Ukraine requires to secure a just and lasting peace.