According to the Agence France-Presse, a South Korean CEO of a cryptocurrency exchange was apprehended amidst suspicion of trying to divulge military secrets to North Korea.
According to South Korean police, this was the first time a "civilian and an active-duty military captain" were caught trying to obtain military secrets on the request of a North Korean officer.
A representative of the Korean National Police Agency said the two men have been arrested for violating the national security law.
The 38-year-old CEO of a crypto management business was recognized as "Lee" by the South Korean police. According to the South Korean authorities, both the CEO and the 29-year-old army captain received crypto payments from the North Korean agent, with the army captain receiving 48 million won and the CEO receiving $600,000.
Lee allegedly asked to "recruit an active-duty officer in order to investigate military secrets" in July 2021, he gave the army captain a watch with a hidden camera and created a hacking device for use by the army captain. The captain then provided the login details to the North Korean agent.
According to a United Nations report in February, North Korean cybercrime organizations stole more than $50 million from three cryptocurrency exchanges.
According to the United Nations Security Council, the North Korean government has used stolen cryptocurrency to finance mass destruction and ballistic missiles.
