Seoul: A South Korean man has been sentenced to five years in prison for spying for North Korea, officials said Saturday. The 43-year-old individual, whose identity remains undisclosed, was found to have received directives from a North Korean agent through the messaging app Telegram during May-June of 2021. His mission was to gather intelligence regarding anti-Pyongyang defectors from North Korea and their activities.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the man accepted approximately 660 million won (US$479,346) in virtual currency from the North Korean agent, ostensibly as capital for cryptocurrency investments. He then engaged with the leader of a North Korean defector group, proposing to sponsor the organization. The man requested the leader to set up a virtual currency wallet, which he then shared with the North Korean agent. After receiving a transfer of 1 million won in Bitcoin under the guise of a donation, he sent back videos and photos depicting the group disseminating anti-Pyongyang leaflets.
The man was further directed by the agent to acquire personal details of seven active-duty military officers, including their units and resident registration numbers, with the aim of recruiting them for espionage. To gather this information, he employed a private investigation agency, which provided details about one officer's unit, residence, schedule, and activities in exchange for 2.5 million won in cryptocurrency.
The Seoul Central District Court found the man guilty of breaching the National Security Act, emphasizing that the information concerning anti-Pyongyang North Korean defectors is protected due to its potential to endanger them or their families. Additionally, he had previously received a four-year prison sentence from the Supreme Court in December last year for soliciting an active-duty military officer and disclosing military secrets at North Korea's behest.