Sanctions & Crypto Crossroads: A WSJ probe links a North Korea-linked $1.5B Bybit theft to Iran-linked wallets and alleges more than $3.84B in Iran-related flows have passed through CoinEx since 2019, with investigators pointing to CoinEx as a key gateway for sanction evasion. Market & Tech Spillover: The same crypto news cycle highlights Bitcoin sliding back toward 20-month lows amid regulatory pressure and renewed scrutiny of sanction-busting exchanges. Russia-North Korea Trade Push: A Russian business delegation from Siberia is in Pyongyang pitching fuel, fertilizer, agricultural goods and construction services, aiming to deepen commercial ties. Aviation Capacity Building: Nordwind Airlines and an IT firm are training Air Koryo staff on ticketing systems inside North Korea, signaling smoother passenger operations on the Moscow–Pyongyang route. Surveillance Tightens for Traders: North Pyongan province reportedly stepped up phone surveillance, pushing traders to meet in person or use coded language. Nuclear Reality in Diplomacy: Experts at the Jeju Forum argue talks must start from Pyongyang’s existing nuclear capabilities, proposing a freeze-first approach while keeping denuclearization as the end goal. Inter-Korean Dialogue Call: South Korea’s unification minister renewed support for multilateral dialogue involving the two Koreas, the U.S. and China to rebuild trust and move toward a peace regime.