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Kim Jong-il training hacker army

South Korean authorities warn of attacks on online gaming sites

South Korean authorities have warned that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is using young squads of hackers to attack online gaming sites to raise funds.

According to the New York Times, Seoul police arrested five people for organising a squad of 30 hackers.

The suspects had authored a software that allowed non-stop play of Lineage and Dungeon and Fighter. The hackers would then sell the acquired game points for cash. The scheme netted the organisers $6 million.

Some mof the hackers were from a group that reports to the Communist Party agency Office 39 which allegedly uses counterfeiting and hacking to raise funds for Kim Jong-il.

The report also suggest this money is used to fund nuclear arms projects.

North Korea has called the allegations "a conspiracy."

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Rachel Weber avatar
Rachel Weber: Rachel Weber has been with GamesIndustry since 2011 and specialises in news-writing and investigative journalism. She has more than five years of consumer experience, having previously worked for Future Publishing in the UK.
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