Korea Watchers and nefarious state actors

If you research and comment on South and North Korea, you're at risk.

If you're a Korea Watcher, you are a target for disinformation, surveillance, espionage, and intimidation. Every second member of the tribe will tell you that North Korea’s cyber capabilities are among the most sophisticated in the world. With thousands of hackers operating under organizations like Bureau 121, the regime targets governments, corporations, and individuals - including Korea watchers. Few however, think about the threats emanating from closer to home.

It’s not just North Korea that uses cyber capabilities to secure and control information online—democracies like Japan, South Korea, and the United States also engage in extensive digital operations. While North Korea’s tactics, such as ransomware and espionage, often make headlines, nations like the U.S. leverage programs like the NSA’s PRISM and Five Eyes networks to collect vast amounts of data on global communications, including those of allies and citizens.

Japan has ramped up its cyber defense and intelligence efforts, …