North Korea, known for its isolation and tight state control, has found a new kind of soldier to bypass sanctions and strengthen its military power: the hacker. What’s most shocking about this strategy is that it all begins in early childhood. Under Kim Jong-un’s command, the country has developed an invisible war machine with over 8,000 highly trained hackers, according to The Wall Street Journal.
These cyber experts have already been responsible for devastating attacks — including the one against Sony Pictures in 2014, which caused $200 million in damages.
Indoctrination and Training Starting at Age 5
The North Korean regime identifies talents in math and science as early as five years old, according to Michael Barnhart of Google’s Threat Intelligence Group. These child prodigies are sent to elite schools like Keumseong 1 and 2 in Pyongyang, where they receive specialized training in computer logic, cryptography, reverse engineering, and other strategic disciplines.
After high school, they continue their education at institutions like Kim Il Sung University and Kim Chaek University of Technology. But their training doesn’t end there. Many of them are sent abroad — to China or Russia — for around a year, where they gain unrestricted internet access and receive advanced technical instruction, while practicing real-world network intrusions.
This preparation is treated as a strategic state project. The Workers’ Party of Korea offers generous benefits to the hackers’ families, including preferential housing, plentiful food, and high salaries — all in exchange for absolute loyalty.
According to defector Kim Heung-kwang, in an interview with Al-Jazeera, these youths are indoctrinated to believe they are saving the country through cybercrime:
“They don’t see themselves as criminals, but as national heroes.”
Lazarus Group: The Digital Face of Terror
Many of these hackers end up in the notorious Lazarus Group, a secret unit linked to the Reconnaissance General Bureau, North Korea’s military intelligence agency. Also known as Guardians of Peace or Whois Team, the group is responsible for some of the most high-profile cyberattacks of the 21st century.
One of their most infamous acts was the Sony Pictures hack, in retaliation for the movie “The Interview”, which mocked Kim Jong-un. Another was the SWIFT system attack, stealing tens of millions of dollars from global banks.
But on February 21, 2025, the Lazarus Group reached a new level:
They stole $1.5 billion in Ethereum from the crypto exchange Bybit in a single operation.
The FBI responded quickly by seizing several domains used by the hackers, including pool.mixcenter.io and pool.btc2moon.io — but the damage was already done.
Fake Companies in the U.S. and Global Deception
Beyond direct attacks, the regime also uses stealth tactics, like creating fake tech companies in the U.S. to deceive IT professionals and implant malware in major corporations.
According to Reuters, firms like Blocknovas LLC and Softglide LLC were created by North Korean hackers to impersonate legitimate companies and steal sensitive data from international targets.
This method, known as social engineering, serves both espionage and attack preparation. The goal:
Ensure a steady flow of money to support the regime and its nuclear ambitions.
Why Cybercrime Is Vital to the Regime
Building ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons is expensive — and North Korea is under heavy sanctions. That’s why cybercrime has become one of its main funding sources.
A 2022 UN investigation revealed that North Korea had already raised $2 billion through cyberattacks — and the amount has only increased since.
As former leader Kim Jong-il, father of Kim Jong-un, once said:
“All future wars will be computer wars.”
That prediction has come true. North Korea has turned cyberspace into its main battlefield, and its most powerful weapon lies in the hands of people trained since childhood to be digital soldiers — loyal, invisible, and dangerously effective.