Security researchers have tied a recent spate of digital breaches on Asian banks to North Korea. If confirmed it would be the first known case of a nation using digital attacks for financial gain.[13]
11 August: Egypt customs seizes more than 30,000 rocket-propelled grenades of North Korean production, off a ship.[20][21]
Egypt customs seized the cargo of ship Jie Shun, on arrival at Ain Sukhna port, Red Sea, on 11 Aug, after Egyptian authorities were alerted by the US intelligence on possible shipment of North Korean arms on board of this ship. The arms were hidden under bins of iron ore.[20][21]
It was later revealed in 2017 that much to Egypt embarrassment, it was revealed later, that ammunitions actually, were bought by Egypt itself, against the UN sanctions imposed on North Korean arms trade. Later the Jie Shun was taken to Al Adabiyah port, berthed there on 27 Aug. Since 27 Aug and as of 2 October 2017, the ship stopped transmitting its Automatic identification system.[20][21]
17 August: Thae Yong-ho, North Korea's deputy ambassador to Britain, defects.[22]
^Lee, Hee Ok (2 March 2017). "THAAD: A Critical Litmus Test for South Korea-China Relations". 38 North, U.S.-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University's Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies. USA. Archived from the original on 2 March 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2017. The decision to deploy THAAD has, in fact, severely damaged relations between China and South Korea, countries that have generally seen eye to eye on the North Korean nuclear issue. When North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test in January 2016, China issued a statement strongly condemning the North.[2] Despite that, the ROK proceeded on February 7, 2016 to begin official consultations with the United States on THAAD deployment. China fought the proposal from the start, contending that the potential step would violate its security interests and disrupt the strategic balance. China regularly voiced its criticism of the prospective deployment in even stronger terms, expressing hope that it would be "relinquished," warning that it would "wreck" bilateral relations and linking it to a "sword dance by the US aiming at China." When the ROK ultimately decided to deploy the system, China immediately said it had "expressed its strong dissatisfaction with and resolute opposition to the decision."