북한 IT 인력 활동 차단 방안 마련을 위한 민관 심포지움 김건 한반도본부장 환영사 (영문)

한미, 북한 IT 인력 활동 차단 위한 민관 심포지움 공동 개최

Ladies and gentlemen,              

Distinguished guests from around the world,

I would like to extend a warm welcome to everyone.

I’m heartened by the great turnout today, both on and offline.

It certainly bodes well for our collective efforts to clamp down on North Korea’s illicit revenue generation through its overseas IT workers.

Having this event in San Francisco, the beating heart of the global IT industry, is all the more meaningful.

This neighborhood is known for the influx of big tech companies and start-ups, as well as capital investment and top-notch talent in recent decades.

This has been likened to a second gold rush, coming 180 years after James Marshall’s discovery of gold in California.

These days, North Korea is undergoing a gold rush of its own.

Unfortunately, their version is about earning money through a variety of illegal cyber activities.

Today, the regime has become a breeding ground for state-sponsored IT freelancers with zero accountability.

This stands in stark contrast to the free and innovative spirit in the Bay area.

So, what was the trigger that led the regime in Pyongyang aggressively pursue windfalls in the cyber world?

Back in 2016 and 17, North Korea conducted a series of major provocations including three nuclear tests.

The UN Security Council responded by imposing very strong sanctions, and North Korea’s trade volume plummeted as a result.

So the regime desperately sought alternative means of earning foreign currency.

And it eventually hit the jackpot with cyber.

In addition to cryptocurrency heist, Pyongyang has been largely focusing on IT workers.

It is recruiting the best talent from all over the country to this end.

As a result, their skills have become increasingly sophisticated. They use false identities to win lucrative contracts from unsuspecting companies.

They are presumed to earn hundreds of millions of dollars each year.

Let me elaborate on the breadth and depth of the threats they pose.

A great number of these IT workers belong to entities designated for sanctions by the UN Security Council, such as Munitions Industry Department and Ministry of National Defense.

This means that the vast majority of their earnings are remitted back to these entities and used for advancing Pyongyang’s unlawful nuclear and missile programs.

These IT workers undermine the integrity of the immigration system in countries where they reside, working without permits.

They also threaten public safety by engaging in illegal activities, such as selling voice phishing programs and stolen personal information to criminal groups.

Moreover, these IT workers often exploit the access gained while developing software, smartphone applications or cryptocurrency.

They utilize such access to engage in malicious cyber activities that inflict great harm to individuals and companies alike.

On a separate note, we should also not lose sight of the horrendous human rights conditions that these workers are under. They are often forced to work without breaks under 24-hour surveillance, and receive only a fraction of their wages.

The bottom line is that we must take swift action. 

Extensive collaboration is crucial for identifying and responding to the tactics employed by these IT workers.

Recently, the U.S. Department of Justice successfully uncovered a case where one such worker disguised himself as an American citizen to obtain employment with U.S. companies.

Same thing can indeed happen anywhere. 

The international community must work together to deny the basic foothold of these IT workers.

Once aware of the presence of these workers in their jurisdiction, countries must waste no time in kicking them out.

Furthermore, strengthening public-private partnership will be critical in blocking proxy accounts used by North Korean IT workers and freezing their illegally obtained funds.

Ladies and gentlemen,

North Korea’s IT gold rush must fail.

We should never allow them to earn even a penny through illegal IT activities.

To this end, the ROK-U.S governments are fully committed to enhancing cooperation with the international community and partners in the private sector.

Let me spell it out in capital letters : WE ARE IN IT TOGETHER. All of us.

Today’s symposium will be a significant step forward in our efforts to root out North Korean IT workers.

I look forward to a whole day of productive and mutually enlightening discussions that result in concrete action.

Thank you.