North Korea’s Cyber Crime Spree: Kim Jong Un’s Hacker Unit Steals Trillions, Part 3

In Cyber Attacks on the Defense Industry, Aviation Accounts for the Most at 25%

Following Kim Jong Un’s directive in October to strengthen drone and unmanned aircraft production, they hacked into drone engine data from companies and related sites in South Korea and other countries.

Not only that, the National Intelligence Service pointed out that they are also carrying out fierce cyber attacks, such as paralyzing administrative systems and intensifying hacking attacks on banks and other financial institutions, causing social chaos in South Korea through system destruction and access.

North Korea has also attempted hacking several times, targeting Russian defense companies. The National Intelligence Service confirmed that North Korea has attacked the defense sector of at least 25 countries, including South Korea and Russia, in the past four years (2020-2023). “The tanks and surface-to-air missiles developed by North Korea are very similar to those of Russia,” a National Intelligence Service official said. “It seems they have used the stolen blueprints and other data for weapon development. They show no respect for boundaries.” Among the North Korean attack attempts on the defense industry, the aviation sector accounted for the largest share at 25%. Tanks (17%), satellites (16%), and ships (11%) followed.

So, how big is the North Korean hacker squad? According to the Defense White Paper published by the Ministry of National Defense in December 2020, North Korea operates about 6,800 cyber warfare personnel. This is the fifth-largest in the world, following the U.S., China, Russia, and Israel. Experts estimate that the number reaches around 12,000 if you include the next-generation key personnel assisting the elite agents. North Korean hackers are mostly affiliated with 6-7 organizations in operation under the Reconnaissance General Bureau’s 3rd and 5th departments, the General Staff Department of the People’s Armed Forces, and the 4th and 6th departments of the Ministry of State Security.

Above all, they continue to strive for cyber-power enhancement by continuously researching and developing the latest technology. A senior U.S. White House official pointed out the need for countermeasures, as North Korea is actively applying new technology in its predatory cyber attacks, i.e., hacking.

This official also stated in a discussion on the topic of “The Rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI)” hosted by The Washington Post (WP), “Ironically, North Korea is one of the most creative and innovative groups in using emerging technologies.”

The North Korean hacker squad is one of the three major war tools directly regulated by Kim Jong Un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission. He has emphasized nuclear weapons, missiles, and cyber warfare as the “omnipotent sword” that guarantees the ruthless striking power of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

The core of the hacker squad is the North Korean Reconnaissance General Bureau. They operate as subordinate organizations to notorious hacker groups like Kimsuky, Lazarus, and Andariel. It’s well-known that they are stealing trillions from global financial companies and cryptocurrency exchanges and also stealing away South Korea’s nuclear technologies. However, the Cyber Operations Command of the South Korean Ministry of National Defense, which is meant to fend off this, only has around 1,000 staff.

Under the North Korean Reconnaissance General Bureau, there are also hacker organizations with world-class hacking capabilities, such as Lazarus, BlueNoroff, Andariel, and Kimsuky. They are active in China, Russia, India, Malaysia, etc. The main tasks of the North Korean hacker organizations vary from getting foreign currency through virtual currency theft, collecting military and diplomatic secrets, conducting operations against South Korea, and causing social confusion with fake news.

Fox News, “North Korea’s Cyber Warfare Personnel of 30,000 Surpasses CIA’s”

Experts estimate that most North Korean hackers are affiliated with 6-7 organizations in operation under the 3rd and 5th departments of the Reconnaissance General Bureau, the General Staff Department of the People’s Armed Forces, and the 4th and 6th departments of the Ministry of State Security. They have a structure that classifies these hacking organizations according to the targets and purposes of the attacks. For example, hackers affiliated with the State Security Department create malicious codes targeting North Korean defectors to collect their information.

How capable is the North Korean hacker squad’s cyber warfare? In terms of scale, the exact number of North Korean hackers has not been revealed, but according to a report by Fox News in the U.S., North Korea’s cyber warfare personnel amount to 30,000, surpassing the CIA’s. Experts estimate that the number of 30,000 is somewhat exaggerated, but in reality, it is estimated to be around 3,000 to 4,000, including elite agents leading all cyber crimes.

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