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Chainalysis has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Korean National Police Agency to deepen cooperation on virtual asset crime investigations in South Korea.
The agreement, signed in April and announced on June 9, sets up training, certification and practical investigation programs for Korean police. It gives the national agency a formal way to expand blockchain tracing work across crypto theft, laundering, scams and state-linked attacks.
KNPA Officers Get Chainalysis Academy Access
The MoU gives KNPA-designated personnel access to Korean-language Chainalysis Academy training material. Investigators will also be able to join the Chainalysis Digital Asset Program, a certification track focused on crypto investigation skills.
The two sides will share information on new crime patterns and build scenario-based training for real investigations. The work will focus on how stolen funds move through exchanges, bridges, mixers and other blockchain routes before criminals try to cash out.
Chainalysis Cites $34B in Seizure Support
Chainalysis said Korean investigators need global visibility into illicit fund flows because stolen assets often move across many chains and jurisdictions. The firm said its tools have supported seizures totaling more than $34 billion in high-profile cases.
The training program is meant to give Korean police more capacity to trace funds across chains, identify laundering routes and support asset recovery work.
DPRK Thefts Drive South Korea Tracing Focus
North Korea-linked crypto theft is one reason the partnership matters for South Korea. Chainalysis said DPRK-linked hackers stole more than $2 billion in crypto last year and $5.5 billion over the past five years.
The firm also said DPRK-linked hackers were behind nearly $1.5 billion in losses from the Bybit exploit in 2025, helping push North Korea’s stolen crypto total to its highest level yet.
Seoul Police Traced 39B Won Hacking Case
The national agreement builds on earlier work with Korean law enforcement. Chainalysis said Seoul police used blockchain intelligence in a 2025 case that dismantled an international hacking group tied to about 39 billion won, or roughly $30 million, in stolen funds.
The new MoU moves that cooperation from city-level case support to a national training and capability program. For Korean police, the next step is making blockchain tracing a regular part of financial crime investigations.
