Why was a South Korean man sentenced to five years in prison for spying for North Korea?

He was found to have gathered information on anti-Pyongyang defectors, forwarded a virtual currency wallet to a North Korean agent, and received Bitcoin after the agent’s donation transfer. The court also said he tried to recruit active-duty military officers for espionage.

What prior sentence did the man receive in a separate North Korea-related case?

He had already been sentenced to four years in prison by the Supreme Court in December last year. That case involved approaching an active-duty military officer and leaking military secrets at North Korea’s request.

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

Q: What information did the North Korean agent ask the man to collect?

The agent told him to gather personal information on seven active-duty military officers, including their units and resident registration numbers. He also asked for details on anti-Pyongyang defectors and their activities.

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Summary

A South Korean man was sentenced to five years in prison in Seoul for spying for North Korea. The Seoul Central District Court said he collected information on anti-Pyongyang defectors and tried to recruit active-duty military officers at the North Korean agent’s request. He also passed information through cryptocurrency transactions and used a private investigation agency to gather details on one officer. The man had separately received a four-year sentence last year for leaking military secrets.

Key Facts

The man was 43 years old and his identity was withheld.
He received orders via Telegram in May-June 2021 to collect information on anti-Pyongyang defectors and their activities.
He took about 660 million won in virtual currency from the North Korean agent as funds for cryptocurrency investments.
He hired a private investigation agency to gather information on one active-duty officer, and the agency passed along details about the officer’s unit, residence, schedule, and activities for 2.5 million won in cryptocurrency.
The Seoul Central District Court said information on anti-Pyongyang North Korean defectors warrants protection because it can be used to harm them or their families.

By Yonhap

Published Sep 5, 2026 11:43 am 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.

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