North Korean Defector Reveals Life as a Secret Overseas IT Worker Funding the Regime

A North Korean defector has revealed how he and thousands of others were sent abroad as covert IT workers, earning money for the regime through fake identities and remote Western jobs. Despite strict surveillance and harsh conditions, most comply, fearing punishment. Few defect, but Jin-su managed to escape.

Jin-su, a North Korean defector whose identity has been changed for safety, has disclosed the inner workings of a secretive state-run scheme where thousands of North Korean IT workers are sent abroad to generate funds for the regime. Speaking to the BBC from London, he described how he spent years in China, earning up to $5,000 a month through multiple remote jobs with Western companies—using fake identities and often impersonating Westerners.

According to Jin-su, around 85% of his income was funneled back to North Korea, part of an operation that reportedly raises between $250 million and $600 million annually. The system flourished during the pandemic, when remote work became the norm. Workers were managed in tight teams, closely monitored, and often banned from leaving their accommodations.

To secure jobs, Jin-su sought identities from individuals in countries like Hungary, Turkey, and especially the UK—where, he claims, people were easily persuaded to lend their details. He would use these identities to secure contracts with US-based companies, where salaries were highest.

Though not directly involved in North Korea’s cyberattacks, some IT workers under the same scheme have also been linked to data theft and ransomware. In recent years, US authorities have indicted multiple individuals, including Americans, for aiding these operations.

Despite harsh conditions, most workers comply, seeing it as an opportunity compared to life in North Korea. Few defect, fearing the risk of capture or punishment of their families back home.

Also Read: Fake Cardiologist in MP Linked to Five Deaths on Same Day of Surgery, Report Reveals

Now living freely and still working in IT, Jin-su says he's rebuilding his life legally. “I had got used to making money by doing illegal things,” he said. “But now I work hard and earn the money I deserve.”