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 in Japan with ties to North Korea. These companies purportedly "exported telecommunications equipment" and "developed translation software," but in reality they were involved in the procurement of cryptographic communications technology and telecommunications equipment. At the time, international sanctions made it difficult for North Korea to obtain technology directly, and the technology acquisition route via Japan and China played an important role. Related companies were scattered in Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya, and there are reports that they handled satellite communication equipment and cryptographic processing software for "civilian use.

At the same time, the company ostensibly promoted the sale of translation software and educational programs, especially the "Korean-Japanese Automatic Translation System," which was also used in publishing and educational settings. While these activities took the form of a private economy, in effect they appear to have been part of North Korea's information network strategy. These existences represent a cross-section of the "cross-border IT network" at the dawn of the cyber strategy.