A report by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) revealed the reality of North Korean information technology (IT) workers who were dispatched to China and worked remotely for corporations in the U.S. and Europe while disguising their identities. He testified that he sent 85% of the foreign currency he earned back to North Korea.
On the 2nd (local time), the BBC released a video call interview with a North Korean IT worker, "Jinsu" (a pseudonym). The BBC noted that it used a pseudonym to protect his identity.
Jinsu said he earned more than $5,000 (about 7 million won) a month while working in China by securing remote work from corporations in the U.S. and Europe. He mentioned that some of his colleagues made even more income than he did. He explained that he typically worked in teams of about 10.
Jinsu said, "85% of the money I earned was sent to North Korea," adding, "It feels like an act of robbery, but I accept it as my fate. However, it is much better than when I was in North Korea."
North Korea is reported to be mobilizing thousands of IT personnel like Jinsu to earn foreign currency by sending them abroad to countries such as China, Russia, and Africa. The United Nations Security Council estimated in a report this March that North Korean IT workers send $250 million (about 830 billion won) annually to the North Korean regime.
The reason North Korea uses labor from abroad rather than domestically is clear. While internet access is restricted at home, it is easier to perform tasks overseas, and to win work from corporations in the U.S. and Europe, they must disguise themselves as having 'Western identities.'
Jinsu explained that a method called "multi-level identity laundering" is employed for identity disguise. Initially, he pretends to be Chinese and borrows identities from individuals living in Hungary and Turkey by promising them certain revenue. Using this primary disguise, he borrows identities from Western Europeans, and later, as needed, utilizes the identities of American and British citizens through secondary and tertiary disguises.
It is with these fake identities that he secures jobs with corporations in the U.S. and Europe. Often, a colleague with good English skills helps with the job application process, and Jinsu stated, "If an Asian face is presented, one will never get hired."
Jinsu also revealed that he experienced intense surveillance and a restricted lifestyle while living in China. He stated, "Going out was banned, and I had to stay indoors all the time, without even being able to exercise."
He added, "When you're abroad, you can access Western media. You can see the real world. You come to realize that something is wrong with North Korea." However, he noted that cases of defection are extremely rare. He explained, "Most just earn money and return home."
Jinsu revealed that he has stopped working for the North Korean authorities and continues to work remotely in a legitimate manner. He stated, "In the past, I used multiple fake identities for overlapping employment, but I don't do that now," adding, "Although the money I earn has decreased, the amount that remains in my hands has increased." He further noted, "Now I earn money honestly."
Meanwhile, North Korea is said to have sent about 100,000 workers abroad to China, Russia, and other places for the purposes of working in factories and restaurants.