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In North Korea, Hackers Are a Handpicked, Pampered Elite
HughPickens.com writes: Ju-Min Park and James Pearson report at Reuters that despite its poverty and isolation, North Korea has poured resources into a sophisticated cyber-warfare cell called Bureau 121, staffed by some of the most talented, and rewarded, people in North Korea, handpicked and trained from as young as 17. "They are handpicked," says Kim Heung-kwang, a former computer science professor in North Korea who defected to the South in 2004. "It is a great honor for them. It is a white-collar job there and people have fantasies about it." The hackers in Bureau 121 were among the 100 students who graduate from the University of Automation each year after five years of study. Over 2,500 apply for places at the university, which has a campus in Pyongyang, behind barbed wire.
According to Jang Se-yul, who studied with them at North Korea's military college for computer science, the Bureau 121 unit comprises about 1,800 cyber-warriors, and is considered the elite of the military. As well as having salaries far above the country's average, they are often gifted with good food, luxuries and even apartments. According to John Griasafi, this kind of treatment could be expected for those working in the elite Bureau. "You'd have to be pretty special and well trusted to even be allowed on email in North Korea so I have no doubt that they are treated well too." Pyongyang has active cyber-warfare capabilities, military and software security experts have said. In 2013, tens of thousands of computers were made to malfunction, disrupting work at banks and television broadcasters in South Korea. "In North Korea, it's called the Secret War," says Jang.
According to Jang Se-yul, who studied with them at North Korea's military college for computer science, the Bureau 121 unit comprises about 1,800 cyber-warriors, and is considered the elite of the military. As well as having salaries far above the country's average, they are often gifted with good food, luxuries and even apartments. According to John Griasafi, this kind of treatment could be expected for those working in the elite Bureau. "You'd have to be pretty special and well trusted to even be allowed on email in North Korea so I have no doubt that they are treated well too." Pyongyang has active cyber-warfare capabilities, military and software security experts have said. In 2013, tens of thousands of computers were made to malfunction, disrupting work at banks and television broadcasters in South Korea. "In North Korea, it's called the Secret War," says Jang.
>> In North Korea, Hackers Are a Handpicked, Pampered Elite
Which means $3K/year, 1600 calories a day?
This sounds no different from intelligence agencies in the western world. However, we're going to sensationalize it because it's happening in a country we don't like.
When you are an oppressed society like this, or communist in general, it is in your interest, and the benefit of your family, to work hard to make Dear Leader's country look good on an international stage.
The Eastern Bloc countries and the Soviet Union used to let Olympic athletes keep goodies from the West, like radios and blue jeans. If they brought home gold, especially in premier events like women's figure skating or pairs, that meant massively upgraded family apartments assigned to you, or even a resort dachau, like the higher ups get.
Can you imagine the hellish pressure on such young people?
This was a perverse aping of capitalism, but without any real economcic freedom.
There is a lot more to freedom than freedom of speech, if concern for the general welfare is your shining ideal. Give up on command and control.
(-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.