South Korean man sentenced to 5 years in prison for spying for NK

A South Korean man was sentenced to five years in prison in Seoul for spying for North Korea. He was found to have received orders from a North Korean agent through Telegram in 2021 to gather information on anti-Pyongyang defectors and their activities. The Seoul Central District Court said such information must be protected because it could be used to harm defectors or their families. The man had also previously received a four-year prison sentence from the Supreme Court last year for leaking military secrets at North Korea’s request.

The man was 43 years old, and his identity was withheld.

He received about 660 million won in virtual currency from the North Korean agent as funds for cryptocurrency investments.

He was instructed to collect personal information on seven active-duty military officers, including their units and resident registration numbers.

A private investigation agency gathered information on one officer and passed along details about the officer’s unit, residence, schedule and activities in exchange for 2.5 million won in cryptocurrency.

Published Sep 5, 2026 11:43 am KST

Updated Sep 5, 2026 1:28 pm KST

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 ($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.

一名韩国男子因替朝鲜从事间谍活动，在首尔被判处五年监禁。他被认定于2021年通过Telegram接收朝鲜特工的指令，收集有关反平壤脱北者及其活动的情报。首尔中央地方法院表示，此类信息必须受到保护，因为可能被用来伤害脱北者或其家人。该男子此前还曾因应朝鲜要求泄露军事机密，于去年被韩国最高法院判处四年监禁。

该男子43岁，身份保密。

他从朝鲜代理人那里收到了约 6.6 亿韩元的虚拟货币，作为加密货币投资的资金。

他奉命收集七名现役军官的个人信息，包括他们的部队番号和居民登记号码。

一家私家侦探机构收集了一名警官的信息，并以 250 万韩元的加密货币作为报酬，提供了该警官的单位、住所、日程安排和活动等详细信息。

发布于2026年9月5日上午11:43（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年9月5日下午1:28（韩国标准时间）

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。