A North Korean computer specialist is suspected of working remotely for a South Korean IT firm under a false identity, marking the first such case in South Korea.
North Korean hackers use false identities
North Korean computer specialists have been using false identities to be employed by foreign companies to extract money or sensitive information. This practice has grown since 2020, with the rise of remote hiring and work following the pandemic.First case identified in South Korea
This is the first suspected case identified in South Korea. The Seoul police have been investigating since February 2025, focusing on an individual suspected of performing computer development work online, remotely from abroad, without entering South Korean territory.Impersonation of South Korean citizen
The individual is suspected of impersonating a South Korean citizen to obtain a position at a private South Korean information technology company, according to the daily newspaper Chosun Ilbo. Investigators are trying to trace the amount of money paid and the payment methods, fearing that the salaries may have been used to fund North Korean weapons development.North Korea's funding challenges
Pyongyang has continued to invest heavily in its nuclear and ballistic missile programs despite international sanctions. To obtain money, some are not hesitant to threaten to disclose stolen information or harm their superiors and their families in case of dismissal, notes Chosun Ilbo.Possible organized network
The main question is the "existence of a possible organized network" with accomplices on South Korean territory. The police are exploring the possibility of using a "laptop farm," where Western companies hiring North Korean workers under false identities may be required to provide them with computer equipment like laptops.Laptop farms and FBI findings
These devices are sometimes received by intermediaries, grouped and equipped to be accessible from North Korea via a VPN. This is what an FBI investigation had uncovered earlier this month in the United States: 187 laptops were seized and 14 people indicted. North Korean computer specialists involved would have earned more than 3 million dollars through more than 70 American companies affected.Sophisticated infiltration methods
Infiltration methods are becoming more sophisticated. According to the FBI, they are trying to reduce the size of these "farms" and spread them across several sites to avoid simultaneous discoveries, notes Chosun Ilbo. They would use nearly 30,000 laptops and have attempted to be fraudulently hired in more than a hundred countries.Use of artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is used by North Korean hackers to "generate virtual faces for video conferencing interviews." This helps them maintain the illusion of being legitimate employees during online interviews and interactions.
