U.S. Penalizes North Korea for Sony Hack

HONOLULU--The U.S. has retaliated against North Korea for its alleged hacking of Sony Pictures Entertainment, aiming economic sanctions at Pyongyang's arms industry, which is its primary foreign exchange earner, and the country's intelligence operations.

The new sanctions, announced by the White House Friday, are aimed at 10 North Korean officials in countries such as Iran, Syria and Sudan who work mainly for Pyongyang's primary arms dealer, Korea Mining Development Trading Corp.

The U.S. also imposed new restrictions on North Korea's intelligence operations, the Reconnaissance General Bureau, which the Treasury Department said is heavily involved in cyber operations as well as arms trade.

Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew said the moves are designed to "further isolate key North Korean entities and disrupt the activities of close to a dozen critical North Korean operatives."

Write to Carol E. Lee at [e-mail]

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