North Korea's spies, who have exploited AI and sent it to companies, are contributing 150 billion yen to the country.
North Korea is using AI to create fake profiles and send operatives to major American IT companies and financial institutions. Although some of the operatives have been caught when their attempts came to light, it has been pointed out that over the past five years, funds worth around $1 billion (approximately 150 billion yen) have been flowing to the North Korean government.
North Korean agents pretending to be IT guys have funneled up to $1 billion into Kim Jong Un's nuclear program | Fortune
North Korean 'IT Agents' Have Allegedly Funneled $1 Billion Into Kim's Nuclear Program - Benzinga
North Korea has long used operatives as freelancers in the IT industry to fund its weapons development, but the spread of remote work following the pandemic has accelerated this activity. In a 2023 FBI crackdown, 17 websites and $1.5 million (approximately 230 million yen) were seized.
FBI warns that thousands of North Koreans are falsely identities and working as remote workers in other countries, sending wages to North Korea for missile program - GIGAZINE
The operatives use AI to create fake photos and bios, and in some cases have been employed by Fortune 100 companies.
Cinder, a security company founded by a former CIA officer, was able to combat these scams before they were widely known, after noticing that many job applicants were from North Korea.
However, there have been a number of cases of operatives infiltrating since then, and an arrest was made in July 2025.
The Department of Justice uncovered a scheme in which North Korean remote workers infiltrated American IT companies and earned more than 700 million yen - GIGAZINE
The damage has spread not only to the United States but also throughout Europe, Saudi Arabia, Australia, and other countries, and Japan, the United States, and South Korea held a task force meeting in August 2025 to confirm the establishment of a strong cooperative system.
Fourth Japan-US-ROK Inter-Diplomatic Working Group on North Korean Cyber Threats Held | Ministry of Foreign Affairs
In addition to the problem of wages ultimately being used to fund North Korea's nuclear program, there are also cases where companies that employ operatives have had confidential information stolen and misused, or have been blackmailed into paying ransoms based on the information.
FBI warns that North Korean IT workers employed under false identities are stealing confidential information and blackmailing their employers - GIGAZINE
https://gigazine.net/news/20250127-fbi-warn-north-korean-it-workers-data-extortion/
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro warned, 'We are treading dangerous waters. When large companies are lax and not paying enough attention, they are putting America's national security at risk.'
Related Posts:
in Note, Posted by logc_nt