CEP Magazine (February 2020)
Virgil Griffith, an American citizen, was arrested Nov. 30 after speaking on blockchain solutions at the April 2019 Pyongyang Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Conference in North Korea. According to a United States Department of Justice (DOJ) press release,[1] Griffith spoke to roughly 100 attendees about ways blockchain technology could be used to move money and data around the globe undetected. DOJ charged Griffith with a violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act[2] for traveling to the DPRK and passing along information on blockchain solutions that could be used to evade US sanctions and launder money.
William F. Sweeney, Jr., FBI assistant director in charge, said, “There are deliberate reasons sanctions have been levied on North Korea. The country and its leader pose a literal threat to our national security and that of our allies. Mr. Griffith allegedly traveled to North Korea without permission from the federal government, and with knowledge what he was doing was against the law. We cannot allow anyone to evade sanctions, because the consequences of North Korea obtaining funding, technology, and information to further its desire to build nuclear weapons put the world at risk. It’s even more egregious that a U.S. citizen allegedly chose to aid our adversary.”
China announced on Dec. 2 that it would impose sanctions on five US non-governmental organizations in retaliation for signing the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act[3] into law. The bill authorizes sanctions against entities found to be undermining the autonomy of Hong Kong and committing human rights abuses against Hong Kong citizens.
“Despite China’s resolute opposition, the U.S. insisted on signing [the law], which seriously violated international law and the basic norms of international relations...China urges the U.S. to correct its mistakes and stop any actions that interfere with Hong Kong and China’s affairs,” the Chinese government said in a statement.[4]
