Japan, US, South Korea Unite to Strengthen Cybersecurity and AI

Foreign ministers from Japan, the US, and South Korea met in New York on September 22. They discussed cooperation on cybersecurity, economic security, and artificial intelligence.

The trilateral meeting focused on countering North Korea’s cryptocurrency thefts. Officials also discussed joint efforts to curb Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programs. They further emphasized strengthening supply chain resilience and technological collaboration.

Ministers Address Crypto Theft and Cyber Threats

The foreign ministers highlighted the need to confront North Korea’s increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks that fund its weapons programs. Officials highlighted that the Lazarus hacking group stole billions of dollars in 2025 alone. The group targeted decentralized finance platforms and exploited smart contract vulnerabilities. Combined with phishing scams and supply chain breaches, these attacks provide critical funding for North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs.

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The trilateral meeting also recalled the January 2025 joint statement issued by Japan, the US, and South Korea. It addressed cryptocurrency theft and public-private collaboration. North Korea’s threat now extends beyond conventional military domains into cyberspace. Regular trilateral meetings, conducted almost monthly by phone or in person since 2010, provide a platform for coordination.

Strengthening Economic Security and AI Collaboration

Beyond cybersecurity, the ministers agreed to enhance economic security through more resilient supply chains for critical minerals and the promotion of artificial intelligence technologies. They stressed AI’s strategic role in innovation and infrastructure protection, with joint research initiatives and aligned standards under discussion.

The ministers also reaffirmed coordinated efforts against Russia–North Korea military cooperation and reiterated the shared objective of complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

National Strategies for Cyber Defense

Each country continues to implement its own defensive measures while deepening trilateral cooperation.

The US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) targets cryptocurrency mixing services and wallet addresses linked to North Korean operators, while the FBI actively traces and recovers stolen assets.

South Korea has strengthened anti–money laundering (AML) requirements for domestic crypto exchanges, implemented automated detection of suspicious transactions, and expanded programs to train cybersecurity specialists.

Japan’s National Police Agency, Financial Services Agency, and Cabinet Cybersecurity Center collaborate to monitor crypto exchanges and share threat intelligence with US and South Korean counterparts. Joint exercises and information-sharing mechanisms are being enhanced to detect and respond swiftly to emerging cyber threats.