FBI: a North Korean remote IT worker was employed by a US government agency

The FBI revealed that a remote information technology (IT) worker from North Korea managed to get a job at a US government agency. The case, reported by TechCrunch, exposes how Pyongyang infiltrates its citizens into Western companies and entities to fund its programs.

How they operate

North Korea sends thousands of IT workers abroad, but also has them operate remotely from inside the country, posing as citizens of other nationalities. These workers often use fake identities or intermediaries to land jobs at tech companies.

The case revealed by the FBI shows the infiltration even reached a federal government agency, raising national security concerns.

Why it matters

The earnings of these workers, estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars, are used to fund North Korea’s weapons and missile programs, despite UN sanctions. The FBI and the Justice Department are intensifying investigations into the network.

The key figure

Thousands. The North Korean IT workers who, according to the FBI, operate remotely or abroad to fund the regime.