Imagine working tirelessly in the shadows, not for yourself, but to fund a regime shrouded in secrecy and oppression. This is the reality for many North Korean IT workers, like Jin-su, who shared his harrowing yet intriguing story with the BBC. Jin-su, whose identity we protect for his safety, reveals how he used countless fake identities to secure remote IT jobs with Western companies, all part of a vast and organized scheme to generate funds for North Korea.

Initially, it might sound like a plot from a high-stakes thriller, but for Jin-su, it was his life. Earning between $5,000 to $10,000 a month, he was part of a shadowy workforce that has reportedly generated between $250 million and $600 million annually for the regime, as highlighted in a recent UN Security Council report. It’s a shocking reality in a country struggling under heavy international sanctions due to its aggressive nuclear ambitions.

“We know it’s like robbery, but we just accept it as our fate,” Jin-su confessed. “It’s still much better than when we were in North Korea.” His story sheds light on the desperate measures North Koreans take to survive, reaffirming their complex relationship with their oppressive government.

Jin-su wasn’t alone in this risky venture; he was one of thousands sent abroad to countries like China and Russia, or even to more distant places in Africa. The scheme has only grown more prevalent since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which normalized remote work and allowed these operatives to blend into the larger pool of freelancers.

In many cases, the North Korean IT workers are tasked with menial jobs, but some have taken darker paths by stealing data or extorting their employers for ransom. In a recent indictment in the US, fourteen North Koreans were charged with earning $88 million through identity theft and fraud. This raises troubling questions about the lengths to which people will go just to make a living, and the ethical implications of hiring foreign workers.

When Jin-su first started his journey, he had to cleverly navigate a world where his nationality could cost him dearly. He often posed as Chinese to secure job opportunities, leveraging networks of borrowed identities for his applications. “If you put an 'Asian face' on that profile, you'll never get a job,” he lamented.

With limited internet access in North Korea, these workers relied on their time abroad to connect with hiring managers in the US and UK, where salaries are significantly higher. It’s a grim reality that reflects the ongoing struggles of many North Koreans, who are often forced to comply with a regime that exploits their labor.

The implications of this underground workforce are concerning. Cybersecurity experts are increasingly recognizing the patterns that indicate the presence of North Korean IT workers infiltrating Western companies. For instance, hiring managers like Rob Henley of Ally Security reported interviewing numerous candidates they suspected were North Koreans, leading to strange encounters and tactics during interviews. One candidate even appeared to use AI to disguise their identity!

As this phenomenon continues to unfold, the world grapples with the ethical dilemma: how do we protect businesses from exploitation while acknowledging the harrowing circumstances of those involved?