South Korean man jailed for five years over North Korea spying
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The 43-year-old man, whose identity was not disclosed, was found to have received instructions from a North Korean agent through the messaging app Telegram between May and June 2021 to collect information about North Korean defectors who oppose Pyongyang and their activities, Yonhap reported.
Around the same period, the man received about 660 million won (US$479,346) worth of virtual currency from the North Korean agent as funds to operate cryptocurrency investments.
He later contacted the head of a group representing North Korean defectors and offered to sponsor the organization. The man asked the leader to create a virtual currency wallet and then forwarded its address to the North Korean agent.
After the agent transferred Bitcoin worth 1 million won as a donation, the man received videos and photos showing members of the group distributing anti-Pyongyang leaflets in return.
The North Korean agent also instructed the man to collect personal information on seven active-duty military officers, including details about their military units and resident registration numbers, and to try to recruit them for espionage.
The man hired a private investigation agency to obtain information about one of the seven officers. The agency subsequently provided details about the officer's military unit, residence, schedule and activities in exchange for 2.5 million won in cryptocurrency.
The Seoul Central District Court convicted the man of violating the National Security Act, saying information concerning North Korean defectors who oppose Pyongyang requires protection because it could be used to harm them or their families.
Separately, the man was sentenced to four years in prison by the Supreme Court in December last year for approaching an active-duty military officer and leaking military secrets at North Korea's request.
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