Hidden Network of Lines North Korean IT Companies in Japan (early 2000s)

Hidden Network of Lines North Korean IT Companies in Japan (early 2000s)
In the early 2000s, there were several IT companies operating in Japan with ties to North Korea. These companies were listed under the guise of "exporting telecommunications equipment" and "developing translation software," but in reality they were responsible for procuring encryption communication technology and information equipment, and were said to have been integrated into North Korea's information strategy. At the time, the Internet was rapidly spreading and encryption technology and communications equipment were beginning to be distributed globally, and Japan became a staging ground for North Korea, which was under international sanctions, to acquire technology. There are reports that related companies were scattered in Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya, exporting satellite communication equipment and encryption processing software for "civilian use. On the other hand, they also sold translation software and educational programs domestically, especially the "Korean-Japanese Aut
omatic Translation System," which was used in educational settings and publications. While disguised as economic activities, these companies in effect formed part of North Korea's cyber and telecommunications network, and although many have disappeared since 2002 due to increased government surveillance and regulation in the wake of the abduction scandal, their activities have been documented as symbolic of the "cross-border IT networks" of the early days of cyber strategy .