The Ministry of Justice will charge the North Korean spy for Sony and WannaCry cyberattacks

The United States Department of Justice should charge a North Korean spy linked to the 2014 cyber attack on Sony Pictures Entertainment and the malware WannaCry 2017 that paralyzed the UK National Health Service. The indictment alleges that Pak Jin-hyok led the attack under the General Reconnaissance Bureau of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the country's intelligence agency considered to be the North Korean version of the CIA. .

While US officials have long claimed that North Korea was responsible for both of these incidents, the Justice Ministry is expected to formally announce the charges against North Korean nationals at a press conference in Los Angeles on Thursday. afternoon, "reported ABC. While the United States explored the cyber attack on Pak and North Korea, the indictment process took a long time "because most of the information against him was classified and could not be included in an indictment. ".

The attack on Sony in 2014 was reportedly in retaliation for the production of the L & # 39; interview, a comedy that mocked North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and implicated a plot of assassination. Although North Korea did not claim piracy at the time – and there was no mention of the film in the attack – the cyberattack took place after North Korean officials sent a letter to United Nations to demand that Sony not pursue the film. The computer attack destroyed half of the data stored on Sony computers, destroyed half of the studio's servers and paralyzed Sony's operations. Internal emails, confidential contracts and copies of five Sony films were subsequently posted on the Internet.

Hackers eventually claimed Sony's attack in December 2014. "The whole world will soon see what Sony Pictures Entertainment has achieved as a film," said the hacker. "The world will be full of fear. Remember September 11, 2001. "President Obama then imposed sanctions on North Korea.

The WannaCry malware that followed was a more widespread attack, affecting more than 230,000 computers in 150 countries. The effects of malware have been felt by hospitals, corporations, government organizations and more, and the Obama administration has accused North Korea, a charge denied by North Korea. However, this is the first time charges have been laid against a person linked to the North Korean government, the Washington Post reported.

The Department of Justice's accusations continue even as President Trump pursues diplomatic tracks to curb North Korea's nuclear program. Early Thursday morning, September 6, Trump congratulated Kim Jong Un in a tweet.

"Kim Jong Un from North Korea proclaims" unwavering faith in President Trump ". Thank you to President Kim. We will do it together! Trump said on Twitter.

The Treasury Department is also expected to announce new sanctions against North Korea, the Post reported.

Intelligence officials say the General Reconnaissance Office has also been behind the recent cyber attacks, including the $ 1 billion robbery of the Bangladesh bank in 2016.