What prison sentences did the three accomplices receive for the North Korea-linked gambling websites?

The Seoul Central District Court sentenced one accomplice to four years in prison and the other two to three years each. The court also imposed qualification suspensions on two of them: four years for the first accomplice and three years for one of the others.

How much did Kim earn from the gambling websites, and how much went to North Korean hackers?

Kim earned about 23.5 billion won ($17.6 million) by selling the websites to domestic gambling site operators. He transferred more than 7 billion won, or roughly 30 percent of the proceeds, to North Korean hackers.

What role did the three accomplices play in the illegal gambling website operation?

The three individuals were accused of helping ringleader Kim distribute the illegal gambling websites. Kim had created 16 sites in collaboration with North Korean hackers between 2022 and 2024 and sold them to domestic operators.

Trio sentenced to prison terms over gambling sites linked to NK hackers

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Summary

The Seoul Central District Court sentenced three members of a criminal ring to prison terms on Thursday for helping distribute illegal gambling websites created with North Korean hackers. One received four years in prison, and the other two received three years each. They were accomplices to a ringleader sentenced in September for creating and selling 16 sites between 2022 and 2024.

Key Facts

One accomplice was also given a four-year suspension of qualifications, while one of the other two received a three-year suspension of qualifications.
The ringleader, surnamed Kim, was sentenced to five years in prison and a five-year suspension of qualifications in September.
Kim earned about 23.5 billion won ($17.6 million) from selling the sites and transferred more than 7 billion won, roughly 30 percent of the proceeds, to North Korean hackers.

By Yonhap

Published Nov 12, 2026 12:57 pm KST

Three members of a criminal ring were sentenced to prison terms on Thursday for collaborating with North Korean hackers to create and distribute illegal gambling websites in South Korea.

The Seoul Central District Court sentenced one member of the criminal ring to four years in prison and a four-year suspension of qualifications after finding him guilty of violating the National Security Act and operating illegal gambling sites.

The two other ring members indicted in the same case were both sentenced to three years in prison, while one of them also received a three-year suspension of qualifications.

The three individuals were brought to trial as accomplices to the ringleader, surnamed Kim, who was convicted of the same offenses in September and sentenced to five years in prison and a five-year suspension of qualifications.

Kim was found guilty of creating 16 illegal gambling sites in collaboration with North Korean hackers between 2022 and 2024 and selling them to domestic gambling site operators. Kim earned about 23.5 billion won ($17.6 million) from the sales and transferred more than 7 billion won, or roughly 30 percent of the proceeds, to North Korean hackers.

The three accomplices were accused of helping Kim distribute the illegal gambling sites.

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