[Briefing]39th NKDB Monthly Briefing and Discussion of North Korean Human Rights

28 Apr 2017
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On April 25th, NKDB held its 39th Monthly Briefing and Discussion on North Korean Human Rights where a presentation was given on North Korea’s hacking capabilities and cyber crimes. 

 

The presentation described the cyber crimes which North Korea has been accused of. North Korea has conducted cyber attacks against so called “enemy states” such as South Korea, the United States, and Japan. It is known that these crimes are to hack information and to cover DPRK government’s need of hard currency. 

 

According to a North Korean defector who graduated in Software Development in Pyongyang, North Korea has the ability to hack into financial institutions, military networks and even nuclear facilities. During the Q and A discussion, various topics were asked relating to North Korea’s cyber attacks. North Korea’s internet infrastructure, hackers’ ways of attacking foreign systems, the process of selecting hackers, and their motivation of joining the DPRK’s cyber unit were among the discussed topics. 

 

Participants of the Briefing included representatives from embassies in Seoul including Sweden, Singapore, Colombia, Finland, Italy, Norway, France, the USA, Kuwait and Germany; as well as from international organizations including UNHCR, the Friedrich-Naumann Foundation, and NDI, and from media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, Daily NK and Asahi Shimbun.