Working for you, earning for Kim? Revealed how UK firms helped fill North Korea’s nuclear war chest

Are British companies unknowingly helping finance North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes? A ‘Telegraph’ investigation has reportedly uncovered an alleged network of North Korean IT operatives targeting hundreds of UK businesses by posing as legitimate remote workers. Using fabricated identities and artificial intelligence, these operatives allegedly secured multiple jobs, collected salaries and channelled much of the money back to Pyongyang. Experts estimate that up to 95 per cent of their earnings may be transferred to the regime, while a multilateral report puts the wider scheme’s revenue at approximately £600 million. British banks, pharmaceutical firms, manufacturers and retailers were reportedly among the targets. With funds allegedly routed through front companies and cryptocurrency networks, how extensive is Kim Jong Un’s covert employment operation, and how much money could be reaching North Korea’s weapons programmes?