[throw747488]

Here is my opinion as someone who worked with alongside North Koreans (textile factory) and visited NK. I am from East Europe and have 10 years in IT.

- NK secret service (or whatever you call it) is more sophisticated than this. They will act as proper company from Turkey, India, China or even EU countries...

- if you actually manage to get some North Korean who escaped to West, they are 10x more dedicated than anyone else. China, or South Korea (usual target countries) do not offer many opportunities, they need money for relatives.

- NK secret services do not attack west infrastructure, or steal info from small fish. They are too small to do that! Most money is from drugs and guns.

- if you hire US only, you eliminate 99.99% of issues. US borders are not ideal, but they do repeal unwanted Asians.

Edit: * stitching, working with cloth, it was textile factory in East Europe

[mariojv]

Out of curiosity, how would a North Korean who escaped to the West even get money to relatives still there?

[bachmeier]

This is how it works: https://blogs.worldbank.org/peoplemove/is-it-possible-to-sen...

[throw747488]

NK I knew had regular flights into EU, but that was 10 years ago.

Today there is most likely trade with China (I am not familiar with that). I would go through Russia, there is direct border and regular trade. NK building companies operate in captured parts of Ukraine for example.

Or just use bitcoin. NKs do have access to internet, it is good store of value (better than diamonds) and highly liquid asset!

[incahoots]

>NK building companies operate in captured parts of Ukraine for example

Can you provide a source for this? Google results provide only articles that suggest the claim, no real confirmations.

[KETHERCORTEX]

[2022-08-09]: Head of so-called Donetsk People's Republic (and former Ponzi scheme CEO) Denis Pushilin declared on live tv (Соловьёв Live) that he expects the arrival of the first brigades of North Korean workers soon. He also said that DPR and North Korea have talks about collaboration when it comes to building [1].

It is probably the most direct admission you can get right now. Why? Because there are UN Security Council sanctions against North Korea prohibiting the procurement of services from North Korean companies, including building services. Also, just a week ago, Russian denied violating the sanctions related to North Korea, stating something along the lines of "Russia being a responsible member of international society" [2].

As far as I know from my personal experience, when Russia makes claims denying involvement in something, it is usually involved in that thing.

There are also statements about North Korean workers being sent to Ukraine on South Korean website about North Korea [3]. Just "we have information about that", but it looks plausible and completes the picture.

[1] https://tass.ru/mezhdunarodnaya-panorama/15427835

[2] https://ria.ru/20231015/kndr-1902858034.html

[3] https://www.dailynk.com/english/north-korea-orders-trading-c...

[eunos]

Maybe some network in CN, HK, Macau or even TW!

[alephnerd]

Vietnam is a major location.

You'll find a number of NK operated companies and restaurants in Saigon and Hanoi to help bring in foreign currency.

Also, Vietnam has one of the largest Korean diasporas outside of Korea, as South Korean companies moved all their operations in China to Vietnam in 2013-17 after the THAAD fiasco.

Just about every single product and conglomerate in Vietnam is Korean (specifically Lotte Holdings). Walk down the street and you'd find 3 Lotte Marts. Then go grab lunch at the Lotteria next door. Then call a Grab and ride in a Hyundai back to your apartment in D2 built by Lotte while the driver is playing KPop produced by Lotte Cultureworks, and then watch some KDramas or Vietnamese shows at home produced by Lotte Cultureworks and maybe chill out while drinking some Chum-Churum Soju. Then, next morning, drink some Chillsung Cider to fight the hangover and go to your company, who will end up exporting products back to Korea via Lotte Global Logistics with financing from Lotte Capital. When you end up getting vacation, you'll end up flying to Seoul and maybe take your family to Lotte Hotel World.

[Pigalowda]

This is a guide for online platforms, such as upwork