- A video shows a job interviewer exposing a suspected North Korean IT worker.
- The applicant smiled initially but went silent when asked to insult Kim Jong Un.
- Insulting Kim Jong Un is a serious crime in North Korea with severe punishments.
A video has surfaced online showing how a job interviewer exposed a suspected North Korean IT worker by asking him to insult North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Notably, the applicant, using the Japanese name Taro Aikuchi, had a strong online presence with X, LinkedIn, and GitHub accounts, plus a portfolio website. He seemed confident, smiling cheerfully at the start of the interview.
But things took a turn when the interviewer asked him to say, "Kim Jong Un is a fat, ugly pig" due to concerns about North Korean agents. Taro's smile disappeared, he went silent, and the interview abruptly ended with the connection dropping, validating suspicions about his identity.
"Here is a video of a North Korean IT worker being stopped dead in their tracks upon being required to insult Kim Jong Un. It won't work forever, but right now it's genuinely an effective filter. I'm yet to come across one who can say it," the video was captioned on X.
Insulting the North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, or the ruling Kim family is considered a serious crime, treason, or an act of supreme disloyalty. This is treated as a political offense, often leading to severe punishment for the individual and their family.
Fake North Korean IT workers
Notably, thousands of North Korean agents have been infiltrating Western companies by posing as remote IT workers, using fake identities and resumes to circumvent sanctions and fund their regime, reported TechCrunch. They use artificial intelligence (AI), deepfake technology in interviews, and stolen identities to pass background checks. This has been a persistent issue, given the country's strict sanctions due to its nuclear program, prohibiting companies from hiring its citizens.
To weed out these impostors, some companies have started asking candidates to criticise North Korea's leader, a tactic aimed at exposing their true allegiance.
However, the report noted that the strategy doesn't always work. Some fake North Korean IT pros, especially those based in China or Russia, might not be as closely monitored as those in North Korea, making these detection tactics hit or miss.
