The Golden Star Bank was North Korea (DPRK)'s last bank in Europe.[1]
History
It was established in 1982, located in Vienna, Austria, and owned by Taesong Bank.[2] In 2003, the Austrian Interior Ministry released a report that claimed that the bank was engaging in espionage, "money-laundering, the distribution of forged currency and illegal trade with radioactive substances."[3][4] The bank was closed in June 2004 amid suspicions of money laundering and the funding of North Korean arms, although there was not enough evidence to start a criminal trial.[1]
See also
- Banco Delta Asia
- List of banks in Austria
References
- N Korea's only bank in Europe to close The Sydney Morning Herald, 2004-04-01, retrieved 2012-04-17^
- Bertil Lintner. North Korea's golden path to security Asia Times Online, 2007-01-18, retrieved 2012-04-17^
- Nuclear Black Markets: Pakistan, A.Q. Khan and the rise of proliferation networks International Institute for Strategic Studies, 2007, retrieved 2012-04-18^
- Michael Leidig. Austria accuses North Korean bank of spying The Daily Telegraph, 2003-07-23, retrieved 2012-04-17^