North Korea has built a formidable army of elite hackers, rewarded with luxury apartments and cash bonuses for pulling off high-profile cyber heists, including the Binance crypto hack that stole US$6.3 billion last month. Leader Kim Jong Un has systematically groomed these hackers for over a decade, selecting the brightest middle school students to study computer engineering and eventually join the military’s cyber unit. Defectors and analysts reveal that the program begins as early as age 11 or 12, with only the top performers advancing to universities and then the cyber unit. Successful hackers enjoy perks like foreign travel, party membership, and elite marriages, though their work is grueling, with long hours and strict targets.
The FBI and Binance have blamed North Korea for the hack, attributing it to a group called TraderTraitor, though Pyongyang denies involvement. The hackers, trained in cryptocurrency protocols and reverse-engineering, have evolved from running illegal gambling sites to executing the world’s largest cyber heist. Their state backing allows them to operate without consequences, refining their strategies with each attempt. Analysts warn that North Korea’s hackers are increasingly targeting large organizations for bigger payouts, as seen in the Binance case.
Despite the glamorous rewards, the lifestyle of these hackers is harsh, with cramped living conditions, constant surveillance, and extreme stress to meet financial targets. Former IT workers describe the psychological strain leading to health problems. However, their success is likely to embolden Kim Jong Un, as they continue to pursue ambitious cyber operations. The hackers’ use of advanced AI tools, including ChatGPT and DeepSeek, further enhances their capabilities, making them a persistent threat in the digital world.