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The core of this nefarious activity revolves around North Korean agents securing remote IT jobs within Western firms. These operatives—ranging from coders to data analysts—pose as American or European citizens, often with fabricated identities. Their goal is to gain access to company systems, perform tasks behind the scenes, and send the earnings back to North Korea's regime in Pyongyang.
Estimates suggest that approximately 4,000 North Koreans may be involved in such activities, either working within North Korea or in allied countries. Financially, these operations are significant for a country with a limited economy, potentially bringing in hundreds of millions annually. Such revenue provides crucial funding for the regime's military and political ambitions.