Government Issues Joint Alert on North Korean IT Personnel... "Blocking Evasion of Sanctions Against North Korea"

"North Korea Can Secure Domestic Company Contracts via Job Platforms"
Many North Korean IT Workers Belong to Sanctioned Organizations
Government Expects Blocking Funds for Nuclear and Missile Development

Joint Alert on North Korean IT Personnel Released

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hee-jun] The government has issued a joint advisory warning that North Korean IT personnel may disguise their nationality or identity to secure work orders from South Korean companies. With prolonged sanctions against North Korea cutting off financial resources, the government believes North Korea is likely to fund its nuclear and missile development through illegal cyber activities and is taking measures to block this.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Intelligence Service, Ministry of Science and ICT, Ministry of Unification, Ministry of Employment and Labor, National Police Agency, and Fair Trade Commission announced on the 8th that they are urging domestic companies to be cautious not to employ North Korean IT personnel who disguise their nationality and identity, and to strengthen identity verification.

After proactively inspecting identity verification procedures on job recruitment platforms, the government judged that it is possible for North Korean IT personnel to forge identities and secure work orders from South Korean companies.

The government emphasized, "North Korean IT personnel reside in various overseas locations, disguising their nationality and identity to secure work orders from IT companies worldwide, earning hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign currency annually. Their share in the North Korean regime’s foreign currency earnings is growing steadily."

A significant number of North Korean IT personnel are affiliated with institutions targeted by UN Security Council sanctions, such as the Military Industry Department and the Ministry of National Defense. The government believes that most of the revenue generated by these personnel is handed over to their affiliated institutions and used for North Korea’s nuclear and missile development.

The government reiterated caution, stating, "Issuing work orders to and making payments for North Korean IT personnel not only damages corporate reputation but may also violate domestic laws such as the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act or UN Security Council sanctions resolutions against North Korea."

The joint advisory on North Korean IT personnel includes detailed information on their specific activities, methods of identity disguise, and precautions for IT recruitment platform companies and companies commissioning program development.

The government expects this measure to contribute to blocking illegal foreign currency earnings in cyberspace aimed at funding North Korea’s nuclear and missile development.

Furthermore, under close cooperation with the international community, the government plans to continue efforts to raise awareness about North Korean IT personnel and strengthen caution among IT sector companies.