North Korean information technology (IT) workers have been found to be disguising their identities to secure jobs at private companies in South Korea, prompting an investigation by police.
According to data submitted by Kim Dae-sik, a member of the ruling People Power Party, to the National Police Agency on October 22, the agency's Security Investigation Bureau began investigating a case last year involving the suspected employment of North Korean IT workers through identity concealment and name theft. The North Korean IT workers identified in the investigation were reportedly hired by domestic private companies and engaged in development work. This marks the first time authorities have confirmed the disguised employment of North Korean IT personnel within South Korean firms.
Police are currently tracing the funding sources of these workers and are keeping open the possibility of organized connections. Previously, North Korean IT workers primarily targeted overseas companies and operated as freelancers, but this incident represents a significant breach, as it involves direct infiltration into domestic private companies.
Due to the nature of the IT industry, most hiring processes are conducted through online platforms and remote interviews, making it difficult to filter out North Korean IT workers who have thoroughly disguised their identities.
North Korean IT workers are already under scrutiny abroad. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, 29 'laptop farms' used for the disguised employment of North Korean IT workers were uncovered across 16 states last year. These laptop farms involve accomplices in the U.S. receiving work laptops sent by companies, installing remote access programs, and allowing North Korean personnel to control them from abroad. This practice is a key method for North Korea to earn foreign currency, which is used to sustain its regime and fund weapons development.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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