South Korean law enforcement announced recently the arrest of an active military captain and a crypto exchange operator on suspicion of spying for North Korean hackers. Two South Korean citizens were paid bitcoins in exchange for their spying activities.
South Korea’s Joint Command and Control Targeted
Two South Korean citizens, a businessman running a crypto asset management firm and a serving captain of the country’s army, were arrested on suspicion of passing military secrets to a North Korean hacker. They were each allegedly given bitcoin in the amounts of $600,000, and $37 789 to exchange the confidential information.
An AFP report quotes South Korean law enforcement as saying that it was the first case of a civilian spying for North Korea. With respect to the captain, whose name has not been identified, the country’s authorities said the individual had passed information used for logging into South Korea’s Joint Command and Control System to an alleged North Korean spy.
On the contrary, the cryptocurrency exchange operator is charged with giving the military captain a spying tool. This was reported to have been done by the North Korean spy. The report claims that the operator bought and assembled an identical hacking device to the USB, in addition to his wristwatch-like spying gadget. The device would be used to access the South Korea Joint Command & Control System.
Violation of National Security Law
A Korean National Police Agency official was arrested following the incident. The report confirms:
They were accused of violating the National Security Law.
Reacting to the arrests, the Korean prosecution office warned it will “respond to security criminals in accordance to laws and principles.”
Just weeks after North Korean hackers were accused by the FBI of hacking the Ronin bridge, allegations that they had recruited South Korean citizens for spying on Pyongyang’s behalf are being made. Bitcoin.com News reported that the incident was perpetrated by North Korean cyber criminals who are thought to have made more than $600 millions.
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