Amazon blocks North Koreans from applying for jobsAFP, SEOULUS tech giant Amazon said it has blocked more than 1,800 North Koreans from joining the company, as Pyongyang sends large numbers of information technology (IT) workers overseas to earn and launder funds. In July, a woman in Arizona was sentenced to more than eight years in prison for running a laptop farm helping North Korean IT workers secure remote jobs at more than 300 US companies. The scheme generated more than US$17 million in revenue for her and North Korea, officials said. Last year, Seoul’s intelligence agency said that North Korean operatives had used LinkedIn to pose as recruiters and approach South Koreans working at defense firms to obtain information on their technologies. “North Korea is actively training cyberpersonnel and infiltrating key locations worldwide,” Korea Institute for National Unification analyst Hong Min said.

Source: Taipei Times December 23, 2025 16:53 UTC