WSJ: North Korea accused of using fake identities to infiltrate US remote jobs

North Korea has built a covert workforce inside US companies by using stolen identities, artificial intelligence and American accomplices to obtain remote jobs and funnel earnings back to Pyongyang, according to an investigation by The Wall Street Journal.

The newspaper said its year-long investigation, based on leaked data, interviews and previously unseen video, examined how North Korean operatives secure employment at American companies while concealing their identities.

According to the investigation, the operatives use stolen personal information belonging to US citizens and AI tools to create convincing résumés and imitate the appearance of real people. In some cases, they allegedly rely on local accomplices to help maintain their cover and carry out the schemes.

The annual income of an individual working under such an arrangement can reach $300,000, according to sources cited by the newspaper, with about 90% of the earnings allegedly transferred to North Korea.

The total value of the operation is estimated at about $800 million, according to the investigation.

The funds are believed to contribute to financing North Korea’s defence programmes, highlighting the potential security implications of the country’s efforts to penetrate foreign companies through remote employment.

The Wall Street Journal detailed the findings in a documentary titled Infiltrated: North Korea’s Secret U.S. Workforce, which examines how Pyongyang’s covert employment network operates.

By Sabina Mammadli