Amazon prevents 1,800 North Koreans from applying for jobs at the company

The American company Amazon announced that it has prevented more than 1,800 North Koreans from joining the company, with Pyongyang sending large numbers of IT workers abroad to earn and launder money.

Amazon’s chief security officer, Steven Schmidt, said on LinkedIn: “North Koreans are trying to get jobs in the IT sector remotely, with companies all over the world, especially in the United States.”

He added that last year the company saw an increase of nearly a third in applications from North Koreans.

He noted that North Koreans typically use “laptop farms,” which are computers in the United States that are operated remotely from outside the country.

Schmidt cautioned that the problem is not specific to Amazon, and is likely occurring on a widespread scale.

He reported that signs of North Korean workers include phone numbers with the wrong format and suspicious academic qualifications.

Last July, an Arizona woman was sentenced to more than eight years in prison for running a laptop farm that helped North Korean IT workers get remote jobs at more than 300 American companies.

The scheme generated more than $17 million in revenue for it and North Korea, officials said.

Seoul’s intelligence agency warned last year that North Korean agents used LinkedIn to pose as recruiters and reach out to South Koreans working at defense companies to obtain information about their technology.

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Kim Jong Un opens a luxury mountain resort

North Korean President Kim Jong Un opened a luxurious mountain resort that includes comfortable entertainment spaces, restaurants and hot tubs, according to the official news agency reported yesterday.

The official Korean Central News Agency reported that the new resort in Samjeon in northern North Korea will serve as an attractive mountain tourist resort and entertainment place for the people.

She added that Kim toured hotel bedrooms, comfortable entertainment venues, and commercial and public catering facilities.

The agency published pictures showing Kim accompanied by his daughter, who analysts say is named Jo-Ae, and that she is his likely heir, walking around hotels. Kim considered the opening of this site a clear indication of the growing ideal of the North Korean people and its potential. The agency did not mention the amount that the average North Korean citizen would have to pay, who analysts say usually earns up to three dollars a month working in government factories.