North Korean IT Workers Exploited for foreign Currency, Reports Indicate
Recent reports detail the systematic exploitation of North Korean IT workers sent abroad to generate foreign currency for the regime, often under harsh conditions and using deceptive practices. A North Korean defector, identified as “Koh,” revealed to reporters that he experienced reliable electricity, nutritious meals, and internet access for the first time while working overseas.
Upon arriving in China, Koh reportedly worked up to 16 hours a day, sharing cramped living quarters with approximately ten othre North Korean workers in a dormitory with only two rooms and a portrait of Kim Jong Un.
Pandemic-Era Boom in IT Worker Program
The program of dispatching IT workers abroad substantially expanded between 2009 and 2012, according to a report by the People’s Solidarity for Political Prisoners in North Korea (PSCORE). Around the same time, Pyongyang established an IT faculty at its university, offering relevant degree programs. PSCORE estimates that between 40% and 80% of the dispatched specialists operated under multiple false identities. These groups of IT experts where centrally controlled from Pyongyang, with all financial transactions monitored by the regime.The demand for remote workers during the COVID-19 pandemic led to a surge in the program.
Testimonies collected by PSCORE indicate that workers were only granted a day off if they exceeded pre-determined income targets. Daily life was heavily restricted, with limited opportunities for even short walks, and constant surveillance. Workers were routinely sent back to Pyongyang for “re-education” sessions lasting approximately one month every two to three years, ostensibly to ensure their continued loyalty to the regime.
Deception and Workarounds
Koh reported increasing difficulty meeting the required earning quotas over time. He stated that some clients began requesting video interviews with potential hires. To circumvent this, Koh hired Western software developers to pose as candidates during video conferences, receiving a flat fee of $500 or ongoing commissions of at least 30% for their participation. Koh himself then performed the actual programming work.
This practice highlights the lengths to which the North Korean regime goes to disguise the origin of its IT workforce and maintain access to foreign markets, despite international sanctions. The program is a meaningful source of hard currency for a country heavily isolated economically.
Source: https://www.ntv.de/politik/nordkorea-it-arbeiter-ausbeutung-programm-pandemie-boom-a-26449999.html and https://pscore.org/