The United Nations has warned that participation in the cryptokurrency conference in North Korea in February could constitute a breach of sanctions, according to a report by Reuters of 15 January.
The report follows last week's accusation by the Ethereum Foundation researcher Virgil Griffith of conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
Griffith went to North Korea for his first blockade and crypto conference in April last year. There, together with other conference participants, he allegedly discussed cryptographic currencies and blockchain technologies. The U.S. government claims that Griffith's presence could have helped North Korea circumvent international sanctions.
Prosecutors in the Griffith case claim that he encouraged other U.S. citizens to attend the conference this year.
The conference website states that persons from any country except South Korea, Japan and Israel can visit the conference, adding that guest passports will not be stamped.
North Korea has been subject to UN sanctions in connection with its nuclear and ballistic missile programs since 2006. These sanctions oblige states, inter alia, to prevent "financial transactions, technical training, advice, services or assistance" if they could contribute to missile programs or help to avoid sanctions.
