A Chinese national living in California has been arrested and charged by federal law enforcement with purchasing guns and ammunition and exporting them to North Korea at the direction of North Korean agents, a newly identified criminal said. complaint.
In an affidavit attached to the complaint filed on November 1, prosecutors said Won Seong-hwa, 41, also admitted that he tried to obtain military uniforms in an apparent attempt to help North Korean soldiers disguise themselves and launch a “surprise attack” on South Korea. 26.
Prosecutors claimed that Won came to the United States on a student visa in 2012 and resides in Ontario, California. In a series of interviews earlier this year, he reportedly told investigators that he met with North Korean officials in China before coming to the United States and was instructed to procure guns, ammunition and technology on North Korea’s behalf.
According to court records, Wen told the FBI that he was “good at smuggling” and admitted to shipping two containers of firearms from Long Beach, California, to Hong Kong in 2023 and then smuggling them into North Korea.
Prime Minister Wen was indicted on charges of conspiring to violate U.S. sanctions against North Korea. Under sanctions, it is illegal to send US funds or goods to North Korea without permission. Wen’s attorney was not immediately identified.
An affidavit filed in federal court in California revealed that FBI agents recovered 50,000 rounds of ammunition from Won’s car and that Won admitted to purchasing the ammunition at the direction of North Korean officials. Law enforcement also seized devices used to detect chemical threats and tools that can detect hidden surveillance devices, according to the affidavit. Investigators said they found photos of firearms and equipment that Wen sent in messages to co-conspirators, some of which were included in the affidavit.
Ministry of Justice
The criminal complaint did not detail the full extent of Won’s alleged work on behalf of the North Korean government, but prosecutors wrote that he communicated with officials through encrypted messaging apps, and that officials directed his actions and coordinated the smuggling operation.
Prime Minister Wen reportedly told investigators that he purchased some of the weapons sent to North Korea through third-party straw buyers and that he drove to Texas on several occasions to obtain the firearms. Won told authorities that the North Korean government funneled about $2 million into Won’s partner’s bank account through a Chinese bank to finance illicit purchases and overseas shipments, the criminal complaint states.
Prosecutors said, “(Mr. Won) explained in an interview on September 6, 2024 that he believed the North Korean government wanted weapons, ammunition, and other military-related equipment to prepare for an attack on South Korea.” Many photos of US military uniforms were posted, implying the intention to export military uniforms overseas.
The Justice Department has charged other individuals residing in the United States with similar conduct related to the North Korean government. Last May, federal prosecutors accused An Arizona woman runs a scheme to help North Korean IT workers illegally get remote jobs at American companies. The group reportedly used the identities of more than 60 individuals residing in the United States to generate approximately $7 million for the North Korean government from more than 300 U.S. companies.
