[CNN 10] December 13, 2023 | North Korean ‘shadow army’ could be funding leader's whims

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdOSRVBNZ5s

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https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/sn/date/2023-12-13/segment/01

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December 13, 2023 | North Korean ‘shadow army’ could be funding leader's whims

 

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

 

COY WIRE, CNN 10 ANCHOR: What`s up sunshine. I`m Coy Wire. Welcome to your CNN 10, especially on a #YourWordWednesday. Remember, keep your ears open to see if your vocab word was chosen to help right today`s show, let`s go.

 

We start today on Capitol Hill, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a visit to Washington D.C. Why? Well, President Biden has asked Congress to approve an emergency funding bill that would send around $60 billion in new support to Ukraine. Ukraine has been locked in a war with Russia for almost 22 months now after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops into Ukraine for what was called a special military operation. The U.S. has already sent more than 110 billion in support to Ukraine, but the White House says those funds are almost completely gone and more is needed.

 

Zelenskyy`s visit to the U.S. comes as efforts to approve more aid have stalled in Congress. Though, there is still bipartisan support to help Ukraine, some Republicans have argued there is another growing crisis that is not receiving enough attention, an influx of illegal immigration at the U.S. Southern border.

 

Some lawmakers want additional support along the border and tighter regulations for immigration. And their concerned U.S. national security could be ignored while Congress focuses on Ukraine. Immigration policies and border security have been particularly divisive issues. And that has continued as congressional negotiators have struggled for weeks to come up with an agreement. Lawmakers are only scheduled to be in session through next week before the holidays. But if a deal is not reached by then, some senators argue they should stay through the holidays to find a solution so that Ukraine can get the additional support they need.

 

Ten second trivia. Pyongyang is the capital of what country?

North Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, or Singapore.

If you said North Korea, put your hands up. The capital Pyongyang is said to be the oldest city on the Korean Peninsula.

 

We now turn to North Korea, a country that has largely been isolated from most of the world through diplomatic and financial sanctions. Despite these economic difficulties, North Korean Leader, Kim Jong Un has pushed his country toward developing a massive arsenal of weapons. Something the country has been doing for many years.

 

But there are new questions as to how the nation is funding these expensive projects. And experts are looking into the possibility that a shadow army of hackers is funding this military push. It is believed this complex organization of international criminals have stolen billions of dollars in cryptocurrency over the last several years. CNN`s Will Ripley explains

 

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

 

WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Every North Korean missile test, every satellite launch, every nuclear test likely cost Kim Jong Un`s cash star country, millions of dollars. Where does that money come from? How does Kim`s regime evade heavy sanctions advancing its nuclear end ballistic missile programs at breakneck speed?

 

ANNE NEUBERGER, DEPUTY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR: We certainly believe that North Korean hacking of cryptocurrency around infrastructure around the world is a major source of revenue for the regime.

 

RIPLEY: A staggering more than 3 billion in stolen crypto over the past five years. U.S. lawmakers say, a record $1.7 billion last year alone.

 

SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN, (D) MASSACHUSETTS: So where does that money go? Straight into North Korea`s illegal nuclear program.

 

RIPLEY: An underground pipeline of illicit wealth fueling Kim`s nuclear ambitions, pumping payments into Pyongyang from places like Russia, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Vietnam.

 

WARREN: Does that pose a threat to our national security?

 

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It does, Senator, yeah.

 

RIPLEY: The U.S. believes North Korea has a global shadow army secret operatives posing as I.T. professionals, government officials, freelance, blockchain developers, even hiring Westerners to hide their connection to Pyongyang. Spanish police arrested Alejandro Cao de Benos earlier this month, known as a special delegate for North Korea. The U.S. accuses him of helping North Korean officials use tech for money laundering. He posted a message on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying, there is no extradition. The U.S. accusation, besides being false does not exist in Spain.

 

Blacklisted by the U.S. as modern-day digital pirates, North Korean operatives are linked to ransomware attacks, targeting online gaming, gambling, and banking industries. Even American hospitals, North Korea exploiting online vulnerabilities, using stolen money to mass-produce missiles, funding the Kim family`s lavish lifestyle. Palaces, planes, yachts, and this armored Mercedes limousine carried on Kim`s private train to that September summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

 

The latest breach from North Korea`s notorious Andariel hacking group targeting South Korean defense firms and others. A year-long investigation by South Korean police and the FBI exposing grave vulnerabilities in Seoul`s cybersecurity defenses. Around 250 sensitive files, 1.2 terabytes of classified data stolen. A crime concealed through rented servers. A secretive trail of digital deception leading straight to the North Korean capital. Breaching borders. Defying digital defenses. Threatening global stability.

 

(END VIDEOTAPE)

 

WIRE: We turn now to Eastern Europe, specifically Bosnia and Herzegovina as we explore the planet, our shared home and shed light on how our actions can impact natural spaces and what we can do to protect and nurture them. CNN`s Zain Asher takes us to a region known as the Blue Heart of Europe, where several hydropower projects threaten this exquisite river system and the wildlife that calls it home.

 

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

 

ZAIN ASHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In the dense forest of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a strip of blue green water carves its way from the Dinaric Alps to the Adriatic Sea.

 

ULRICH EICHELMANN, CAMPAIGN COORDINATOR, SAVE THE BLUE HEART OF EUROPE: The Neretva is probably one of the most exceptional rivers in Europe. It looks like pure wilderness.

 

ASHER (voice over): But this is changing. According to the Center of environment, a Bosnian NGO, more than 50 hydropower plants are proposed along the rivers 140-mile length.

 

EICHELMANN: Dams destroy rivers completely. Because the impact is not only where the dam actually is, you impact everything upstream and everything downstream.

 

ASHER (voice over): This is why Ulrich Eichelmann together with more than 60 scientists converged on the banks of the Neretva in June as part of the Save the Blue Heart of Europe campaign. They`re on a mission to collect data on the rivers unique biodiversity and to build a case for why it should be preserved.

 

EICHELMANN: We need to do more than ever before to save the last remnants of European beauty.

 

ASHER (voice over): For some scientists like Kurt Pinter, saving the river means waiting out into the crystal waters and discovering who lives in it. But there is one species in particular he`s searching for.

 

KURT PINTER, FRESHWATER ECOLOGIST, UNIVERSITY OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND LIFE SCIENCES, VIENNA: What we try to find here is the soft mouth trout. It`s a very special and endemic trout which can only be found in the few rivers in this area.

 

ASHER (voice over): Already endangered, he fears the proposed dams could drive it to extinction. This could cause ripple effects across the surrounding ecosystems. It`s a delicate balance between providing energy and protecting the environment. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, hydropower is a key source of electricity, and it could help the country transition away from fossil fuels. The campaign says it`s not against hydropower altogether. But it wants to implement No Go Zones in areas of key biodiversity.

 

EICHELMANN: When a small doses might be correct and healthy, if you take too much of it, it`s deadly.

 

ASHER (voice over): Recent history shows that nature can win. In March 2023 after several years of campaigning, the Vjosa, a river in the nearby Balkan country of Albania was granted protection. The Balkans is one of the few areas of Europe where free flowing natural river systems still exist. For scientists and conservationists alike, that is reason enough to preserve them.

 

EICHELMANN: This we call it the blue heart, because it`s the last large area where we have this jewel, it`s like a gift to Europe, that these rivers survive the decades of destruction. And on the Balkans, we have this one chance to keep this blue heart beating.

 

(END VIDEOTAPE)

 

WIRE: Today`s story getting a 10 out of 10 cycle enthusiast, Santa slay, what? Most of them were not doniferous but they were all gathering for a good Claus.

 

Yes, you heard me right, a group of Kris Kringle clad riders rocking the streets of Madison, Wisconsin for the Third Annual Santa Cycle Rampage. Rampage, not sure that`s the name that would match this U tide pedaling you`re seeing here. The holly jolly event featured a festive four-to-five-mile ride to benefit school safety programs. Talk about a jolly old journey.

 

All right, dad, joke alert. What kind of motorcycles does Santa ride? A Holly Davidson. Ho-ho, thanks to all of you for following along @coywire on social. Today`s word was submitted by Tiffany Ms. Eddie`s (ph) class at Cope Middle in Redlands, California. doniferous, an adjective meaning bearing gifts. Well done.

 

Today`s shout out goes to Elida Middle School in Elida, Ohio, go bulldogs. And we have a shout out going to Red Lion Area High School in Red Lion Pennsylvania, keep roaring you all. I`m Coy Wire. Thanks for joining us today. I`ll see you right back here tomorrow. Have an awesome day.

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[Voca]

• Anchor (앵커) - 뉴스 프로그램의 진행자.
• Emergency funding (긴급 자금) - 긴급한 상황을 위한 재정 지원.
• Bipartisan (양당의) - 두 주요 정당이 지지하는.
• Sanctions (제재) - 법적 또는 공식적인 처벌이나 제한.
• Arsenal (무기고) - 다량의 무기나 군비.
• Cryptocurrency (암호 화폐) - 디지털 또는 가상 화폐.
• Hackers (해커) - 컴퓨터 시스템에 무단으로 접근하는 사람들.
• Ransomware (랜섬웨어) - 데이터를 인질로 잡고 몸값을 요구하는 악성 소프트웨어.
• Diplomatic (외교적인) - 국가 간의 관계나 외교에 관련된.
• Ballistic missile (탄도 미사일) - 탄도 경로를 따라 비행하는 미사일.
• Hydropower (수력 발전) - 물의 흐름을 이용하여 전기를 생산하는 방식.
• Biodiversity (생물 다양성) - 다양한 생물 종의 존재.
• Conservationists (환경 보호론자) - 자연 보호를 주장하는 사람들.
• Ecosystem (생태계) - 서로 상호 작용하는 생물과 그 환경.
• Endangered (멸종 위기에 처한) - 멸종의 위험이 있는.
• Fossil fuels (화석 연료) - 석탄, 석유와 같이 오랜 시간 동안 지구에 저장된 유기물에서 추출한 연료.
• Illicit (불법적인) - 불법적인, 허가되지 않은.
• Lavish (호화로운) - 매우 비싸고 고급스러운.
• Cybersecurity (사이버 보안) - 컴퓨터 시스템의 안전을 보호하는 것.
• Breaching (침해하는) - 법률이나 규칙을 위반하는 행위.
• Dense forest (조밀한 숲) - 매우 빽빽하게 나무가 자란 숲.
• Sustainable (지속 가능한) - 환경적, 경제적, 사회적으로 오랜 기간 동안 지속될 수 있는.
• No Go Zones (출입 금지 구역) - 특정 활동이나 접근이 금지된 지역.
• Enthusiast (열광자) - 특정한 활동이나 주제에 열정적인 사람.
• Pedaling (페달을 밟는) - 자전거 페달을 밟는 행위.
• Trivia (사소한 정보) - 중요하지 않은 정보나 사실.
• Doniferous (선물을 주는) - 선물을 주는 성격이나 특성을 가진.
• Diplomatic (외교적인) - 국가 간의 관계나 외교에 관련된.
• Ballistic missile (탄도 미사일) - 탄도 경로를 따라 비행하는 미사일.
• Hydropower (수력 발전) - 물의 흐름을 이용하여 전기를 생산하는 방식.