S. Korean man sentenced to 5 yrs in prison for spying for North Korea

This will let Google show Yonhap news articles that match or are related to your search

SEOUL, Sept. 5 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean man has been sentenced to five years in prison for spying for North Korea, officials said Saturday.

The 43-year-old man, whose identity was withheld, was found to have received an order from a North Korean agent via the messaging app Telegram in May-June of 2021 to collect information about anti-Pyongyang defectors from North Korea and their activities.

Around that time, the man took about 660 million won (US$479,346) worth of virtual currency from the North Korean agent as funds for operating cryptocurrency investments.

He later approached the head of a North Korean defector group, offering to sponsor the organization. He asked the leader to create a virtual currency wallet and forwarded its address to the North Korean agent.

After the agent transferred 1 million won worth of Bitcoin in the name of donation, the man received videos and photos showing the group sending anti-Pyongyang leaflets in return.

The man was also instructed by the agent to collect personal information of seven active-duty military officers, including their units and resident registration numbers, and attempt to recruit them for espionage.

The man hired a private investigation agency to gather information about one of the seven officers and the agency subsequently passed along details regarding the officer's unit, residence, schedule, and activities in exchange for 2.5 million won in cryptocurrency.

The Seoul Central District Court convicted the man for violating the National Security Act, saying information about anti-Pyongyang North Korean defectors warrants protection because it can be used to harm them or their families.

Separately, the man had been 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 the request of North Korea.

7 military officers disciplined over lax management of firearms: data

Los Angeles declares 'BTS Week' ahead of concerts

N. Korea drops unification goal, cements Kim as sole leader in revised party charter

Globally popular 'Baby Shark' aims to expand storyline with younger sibling

(LEAD) S. Korean response teams continue search for 9 missing in Nepal floods

(2nd LD) Lee nominates 6 ministers in major Cabinet reshuffle, including finance minister

White House says U.S. policy on N. Korea unchanged, reaffirms Trump's openness to dialogue with Kim

(LEAD) Centenarian athlete grabs 2 golds at Daegu WMAC

Court set to rule on Unification Church leader's bribery case involving ex-first lady

(3rd LD) Presidential office says no decision reached on troop deployment to Hormuz; review ongoing

(LEAD) Judge who handed Yoon life sentence indicted for corruption

(2nd LD) Presidential office says no decision reached on troop deployment to Hormuz; review ongoing

Expert says Trump may not have problem acknowledging N.K. nuke possession

Unionized workers of state-run banks stage rally in Seoul to protest planned relocation

Jeju Island under indirect influence of typhoon

Sculpture, craftwork fest in N. Korea

Largest Buddhist sect's leader wins reelection

Solar halo observed in S. Korea

S. Korean man sentenced to 5 yrs in prison for spying for North Korea

这将使谷歌能够向您展示与您的搜索匹配或相关的韩联社新闻文章

首尔，9月5日（韩联社）——韩国官员周六表示，一名韩国男子因替朝鲜从事间谍活动而被判处五年监禁。

这名 43 岁的男子身份未被公开，据悉他在 2021 年 5 月至 6 月期间，通过即时通讯软件 Telegram 收到一名朝鲜特工的命令，要求他收集有关朝鲜反平壤叛逃者及其活动的信息。

大约在那个时候，这名男子从朝鲜代理人那里获得了价值约 6.6 亿韩元（479,346 美元）的虚拟货币，作为运营加密货币投资的资金。

他随后联系了一名朝鲜脱北者组织的领导人，表示愿意资助该组织。他要求该领导人创建一个虚拟货币钱包，并将钱包地址转发给了朝鲜特工。

该代理人以捐款的名义转账价值 100 万韩元的比特币后，该男子收到了视频和照片，显示该组织向他散发反平壤传单作为回报。

该男子还受特工指示，收集七名现役军官的个人信息，包括他们的部队和居民登记号码，并试图招募他们从事间谍活动。

该男子雇佣了一家私人调查机构来收集有关七名警官中一名的信息，该机构随后提供了有关该警官的单位、住所、日程安排和活动的详细信息，以换取 250 万韩元的加密货币。

首尔中央地方法院以违反国家安全法为由，判处该男子有罪。法院称，有关反平壤的朝鲜脱北者的信息需要保护，因为这些信息可能被用来伤害他们或他们的家人。

另据报道，该男子去年 12 月被最高法院判处四年有期徒刑，罪名是接近一名现役军官，并应朝鲜要求泄露军事机密。

7名军官因枪支管理不善受到纪律处分：数据

洛杉矶宣布举办“BTS周”演唱会

朝鲜放弃统一目标，修订党章巩固金正恩的唯一领导人地位

全球热门歌曲《Baby Shark》计划推出弟​​弟/妹妹版本，拓展故事情节。

（导语）韩国救援队继续搜寻尼泊尔洪灾中失踪的9人

（第二条）李显龙提名6位部长，进行内阁重大改组，其中包括财政部长

白宫表示美国对朝政策不变，重申特朗普对与金正恩对话持开放态度。

（头条）百岁运动员在大邱世界运动会上斩获两枚金牌

法院即将就统一教会领袖涉嫌贿赂前第一夫人一案作出裁决

（第三条）总统府表示，尚未就向霍尔木兹岛部署军队做出决定；审查仍在进行中。

（导语）判处尹某终身监禁的法官因腐败罪被起诉

（第二条）总统府表示，尚未就向霍尔木兹岛部署军队做出决定；审查仍在进行中。

专家称，特朗普可能不会介意承认朝鲜拥有核武器。

首尔，国有银行工会成员举行集会，抗议搬迁计划。

济州岛受台风间接影响

朝鲜雕塑工艺品节

最大佛教宗派领袖赢得连任

韩国观测到太阳晕

韩国男子因替朝鲜从事间谍活动被判处5年监禁