ZeroFox Physical Security Intelligence Daily Brief - November 17, 2024

ZeroFox Physical Security Intelligence Daily Brief - November 17, 2024

ZeroFox physical security experts collect, curate, and analyze information derived from open and proprietary sources for comprehensive context of the circumstances surrounding global events. Here is today’s daily roundup of major developments.

Brief Highlights

• Multiple Countries Discuss on Response Measures Against North Korean Soldiers in Ukraine
• Russia and Iran Link National Payment Systems
• The Philippines Enacts Two Laws on Sea Rights, Likely Deepening Conflict with China

Multiple Countries Discuss on Response Measures Against North Korean Soldiers in Ukraine

On November 13, 2024, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Mark Rutte discussed coordinated responses to North Korea's troop deployment to Russia in support of its war in Ukraine. Additionally, 10 countries including South Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France criticized North Korea's dispatch of troops to Russia, saying, "North Korea's direct support of Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine means a dangerous expansion of the conflict that will have serious consequences for peace and security in Europe and the Indo-Pacific." Most leaders are concerned about the potential transfer of nuclear or ballistic missile technology from Russia to North Korea.

Russia and Iran Link National Payment Systems

Russia and Iran have linked their national payment systems to counteract Western sanctions on both countries and reduce reliance on the dollar in international transactions. The move largely aligns with Russian President Vladimir Putin's push to promote alternatives to the SWIFT global payment system; Iranian banks have been excluded from SWIFT since 2018. Most Russian banks have been similarly excluded since 2022. The initial connection immediately made Iranian bank cards available for use within Russia. However, Russian cards are not yet available to use in Iran. Officials say Russian cards will be operable in Iran during a later phase of implementation, but did not detail a timeline.

The Philippines Enacts Two Laws on Sea Rights, Likely Deepening Conflict with China

Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has signed two laws asserting Philippine maritime claims, drawing criticism from China as the South China Sea tensions escalate. Marcos signed the Maritime Zones Act, which defines the extent and boundaries of the Philippine maritime zones abiding by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), reaffirming the Philippine maritime entitlements and invalidating China’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea. The president also enacted the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act, which establishes a system through which foreign vessels and aircraft shall exercise the right of passage. The laws aim to secure Philippine rights in the South China Sea and provide legal instruments to solidify its territory and enhance its capabilities to protect against foreign infringement. China has strongly condemned the two laws and summoned the Philippine ambassador to express its objection, stating that the Maritime Zones Law illegally includes most of China's Huangyan Islands(Scarborough Shoal) and Nansha Islands(Spratly Islands). On November 10, 2024, China’s Foreign Ministry published a set of geographic baselines for 16 points, marking its territorial claim for the first time to the disputed region.