North Korean IT Worker: "Earning Foreign Currency by Getting Hired at US Companies After Identity Laundering"

North Korean Defector Reveals:
"Earning 7 Million Won a Month, Sending 85% to the North"
Interview with BBC Sheds Light on Secret IT Operations

The story of a North Korean information technology (IT) worker who was dispatched to China, went through multiple stages of identity laundering, and then found employment at companies in the United States and Europe to earn foreign currency has been revealed by foreign media.

On August 2 (local time), the British broadcaster BBC reported an interview with a North Korean defector, using the pseudonym Jinsu. The BBC conducted the interview with him via video call.

Jinsu said he was deployed as part of a large-scale secret operation to raise funds for North Korea, and for several years, he used hundreds of fake IDs to earn money by working remotely in IT roles for companies in the United States and Europe. He stated that he earned at least $5,000 (about 7 million won) per month, and some of his colleagues made significantly more than that.

Jinsu and his colleagues typically worked in teams of about ten people. He explained that 85% of his earnings went to North Korea, saying, "We know this is essentially robbery, but we accepted it as our fate," and added, "Still, it is much better than living in North Korea."

It is known that thousands of North Korean IT workers are dispatched to places such as China, Russia, and Africa, where they are mobilized to earn foreign currency using similar methods. According to a report released by the UN Security Council in March last year, North Korea's secret IT workforce is estimated to generate between $250 million and $600 million (about 350 billion to 830 billion won) annually. This type of business has grown rapidly since remote work became widespread during the COVID-19 pandemic.

North Korea sends IT workers abroad because foreign countries offer much freer internet access than North Korea, making it easier for them to work. Another reason is that by hiding their nationality and pretending to be Westerners living in those countries, they can earn more money and avoid international sanctions.

The process of laundering identities involves several steps. First, they contact people living in countries like Hungary or Turkiye, pretending to be Chinese, and offer a share of their income in exchange for borrowing their identities. Using these borrowed identities, they then approach people in Western Europe to secure a Western identity. Jinsu said he was particularly successful when targeting British identities.

Jinsu emphasized, "If you upload an 'Asian face' on your profile, you will never get hired." The job application process is usually handled by IT workers with strong English skills. Since face-to-face interviews are rare and most work-related communication takes place on platforms like Slack, it is possible to hide their true identities. He also said he targeted the US market because American companies pay higher salaries.

After spending several years in China, Jinsu said he became increasingly frustrated by the oppressive working environment. He explained, "Going outside was absolutely forbidden, and I always had to stay indoors. I couldn't exercise or do anything I wanted." However, living abroad made it easier to access Western media compared to when he was in North Korea, allowing him to see the outside world directly. Jinsu said, "When you are overseas, you realize that something is wrong inside North Korea," but he also explained that people who actually attempt to defect, like himself, are extremely rare.

After defecting, Jinsu continues to work in the IT industry. He said that since he no longer holds multiple jobs at different companies using fake identities, his income has decreased, but because he can keep all his earnings, his actual take-home income has increased. He stated, "In the past, I was used to making money illegally, but now I am earning money that I deserve by working hard and honestly."