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The Diplomat  |  Author

Jason Bartlett

Jason Bartlett

Jason Bartlett is a contributing author to The Diplomat and a research assistant in the Energy, Economics, and Security Program at CNAS. He tweets @jasonabartlett.

Jason Bartlett is a research assistant for the Energy, Economics, and Security Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). His research focuses on the intersections of sanctions policy and evasion tactics, counterproliferation finance, and cybercrime with regional focus on the Korean Peninsula. He also leads CNAS’ Sanctions by the Numbers series.

Jason holds an MA in Asian Studies from the School of Foreign Service and a Graduate Certificate in Refugee and Humanitarian Emergencies from Georgetown University, as well as a BS in Spanish and a BA in International Studies from SUNY Oneonta. He also graduated from the Korean Language Institute (KLI) at Yonsei University in South Korea. Jason is a member of the North Korea Cyber Working Group at Harvard’s Belfer Center.

Previously, Jason conducted national security-related research at several think tanks in Washington D.C. and Seoul and provided years of resettlement assistance to North Korean refugees in the United States and South Korea. He is fluent in Korean and proficient in Spanish.

Posts by Jason Bartlett
July 27, 2022

Sanctions, Cyber, and Crypto: How Pyongyang Can Exploit the War in Ukraine

By Jason Bartlett
North Korea now joins Russia and Syria in recognizing two Moscow-backed breakaway states in eastern Ukraine. That could provide a new foothold for sanctions evasion and cybercrime.

July 18, 2022

Mapping Major Milestones in the Evolution of North Korea’s Cyber Program

By Jason Bartlett
From 1984 to the present day, North Korea’s offensive cyber program has evolved considerably. 
June 28, 2022

Domestic and Global Political Impacts of K-Pop: BoA, BTS, and Beyond

By Jason Bartlett
Korean entertainment, in particular K-Pop, has provided a unique opportunity for Seoul to improve its global standing.

May 09, 2022

Pyongyang Pays South Korean Citizens in Crypto to Sell Military Secrets

By Jason Bartlett
Cryptocurrency is not only a financial asset to steal and launder, but also a lucrative tool to help fund global espionage and recruit foreign agents.

April 21, 2022

Loyalty for Luxury: How the Kim Family Buys Support From North Korean Elites

By Jason Bartlett
Similar to his father and grandfather, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un uses a combination of fear tactics and gift giving to help secure his influence over members of the North Korean elite. 

March 25, 2022

How to Strengthen South Korea-US Cooperation on Combatting Cyber-enabled Financial Crime

By Jason Bartlett
The U.S. and South Korea each possess unique strengths in combatting cyber-enabled financial crime, but their true joint potential is largely untapped. 
February 23, 2022

Understanding the Strengths and Vulnerabilities of North Korean Hackers

By Jason Bartlett
Pyongyang continues to defy miscalculated expectations regarding its cyber capabilities by successfully employing a series of sophisticated cyberattacks that target new and developing financial technology.

January 26, 2022

South Korea’s Constant Struggle With Digital Sex Crimes 

By Jason Bartlett
Weak legal mechanisms to punish sex offenders who use digital means, like cameras, contributes to the repetition of familiar and troubling crimes.

January 21, 2022

How North Korea Might Exploit New Video Games for Crypto

By Jason Bartlett
North Korean hackers are likely to include new play-to-earn (P2E) crypto games within their illicit cyber-enabled financial schemes.

January 04, 2022

Another Security Breach at the Inter-Korean Border Reinforces Concerns Over South Korea’s Ability to Protect Itself

By Jason Bartlett
The fact that an individual can enter and exit the “most heavily fortified border in the world” without capture raises serious concerns.

December 22, 2021

What Will North Korean Cybercrime Look Like in 2022?

By Jason Bartlett
The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to increased online spending which Pyongyang and other illicit actors will likely continue to exploit.
December 07, 2021

North Korea Plans to Dig Deep Into Renewable Energy Alternatives 

By Jason Bartlett
The success of North Korean renewable energy projects will depend on the willingness of key allies, such as China, to facilitate.

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