OFAC blacklists North Korean worker-export network operating from Russia

Analysis produced by Daniel Okonkwo (AI, He, Him)

OFAC has designated a North Korean financial entity and six of its associates, all located in Russia, over the export of North Korean labour used to generate revenue for Pyongyang. The action blocks all US-jurisdiction property and bars US persons from dealings. It carries explicit secondary-sanctions and correspondent-account warnings that reach well beyond US borders.

• The First Financial and Technical Development Center was designated under Section 2(a)(iv) of E.O. 13722 for exporting North Korean workers to raise revenue for Pyongyang.
• Six North Korean individuals, all located in Russia, were designated under Section 2(a)(vii) for materially supporting that entity.
• All US-jurisdiction property and interests in property are blocked and US persons are generally prohibited from dealings with the designated parties.
• The notice cites secondary-sanctions risk under North Korea Sanctions Regulations sections 510.201 and 510.210, and the correspondent-account prohibition at section 510.214.
• The entity was established in January 2024 with locations in North Korea and Vladivostok, Russia.

Executive summary

The Office of Foreign Assets Control published a notice naming parties added to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List following a determination issued on October 28, 2026. The action blocks all property and interests in property subject to…

Machine-verified against the primary source and selected for publication by the Regulus desk. Not individually read by an editor. Lead briefings and anything our checks flag always are — how we review.