They were paid more than three billion won along with accommodation and living costs by the South Koreans. The North Korean hackers - graduates of top universities in Pyongyang - created 'auto programs' that could breach Korean online game servers and collect points exchangeable for cash rewards, it said. The police International Crime Investigation Unit (Iciu) said it was investigating but not detaining another 10 members while two gang members were still at large. They said 17 South Koreans had stolen 6.4 billion won ($6.02m) since June 2009 through the scam after hiring 30 North Korean hackers based in northeast China.Īfter a joint probe with intelligence authorities, police arrested five of the South Koreans on charges of creating and distributing illegal computer programmes to clients in China and South Korea. Police said some of the proceeds apparently went to the regime in Pyongyang. The North has been accused of several cyber attacks on the South in recent years, but this was the first reported case of hacking for profit. Seoul - South Korean police said on Thursday they had busted a criminal gang which used elite North Korean computer hackers to break into online game sites and steal prize points worth millions of dollars.
