South Korea has accused its northern neighbors of online skullduggery, warning that Kim Jong-il is using an army of young hackers to exploit MMOs and make some desperate money. 

Reports claim that the hackers have invaded Lineage and Dungeon Fighter, using software that lets unmanned computers play non-stop and acquire in-game points. Those points are then sold for cold, hard cash. It is believed that North Korea has made itself $6 million so far. 

Seoul police have arrest five people on suspicion of organizing a thirty-man hack squad operating out of North China. These organizers are alleged to have distributed the money, giving 55% of it to the hackers. These hackers then forwarded a portion of the funds to Pyongyang, the North Korean capital. 

North Korea, of course, has denied these accusations, labeling them "conspiracy." 

Seoul Warns of Latest North Korean Threat [NY Times]

Legacy Comments (will be imported soon)

VoltySquirrel

lolwut?

Epic-Kx

Typo, Jim. "Dungeon And Fighter." It's just Dungeon Fighter."

Kim's so ronery.

Radox Redux

The Virtual Wars begin now. America will invade Azeroth for it's precious resources.

Jim Sterling

Epic: Not exactly. Apparently it's actually called that in some places. Changed it anyway for we Western devils.

Jim Sterling

Epic: Not exactly. Apparently it's actually called that in some places. Changed it anyway for we Western devils.

tuoman

When we reached out to North Korea for comment, they replied "LOL u mad? Quit hatin'"

Lee Zhi Fei

you serious? I thought by the time they get access to a MMO (or any games), they would rather be playing it than hacking it...

Gamescook

Of course.

M47R1X

Nobody was taking them serirousry.

SephirothX

I bet this is somehow Sony's fault too.

Gorescream

*comment about north korean grammmatical failure*

Epic-Kx

@Jim Really?! That's stupid. Us americanos and our Engrish.

salamagogo

Kim jong is tha illest

G3n3r4lzZoD

This is just a a bump in the road to north koreas true plan(Homefront anyone)

Mr Fishus

6 mirrion dorra!?

AnthArmo

Sounds like they're getting pretty desperate and strapped for cash if this is what they're doing. An indication that NK won't last much longer?

Shawn Cotton

China has been hacking shit for years....even the US Defense. Theyre just a fuckin buncha losers looking to make a profit and some headway bc most of that country is filled with little dick noobs.

LittleBigD

What seems even stranger to me is that people will pay real money for phony money.

Wedge

Dungeon Fighter? Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo. I love that game...

Davedude

Remember, buying MMO gold and characters supports North Korea!

markcocjin

North Korea is the one time Anonymous could actually be useful to civilization. How come they're not picking on this little guy?

Is North Korea too hard to hack? And what about China's government sanctioned hackers stealing military and corporate secrets?

Could it be that Anonymous is part East Asia too?

Sterling Aiayla Lyons

@Jim and Epic:
Actually, the full name for us white skins is "Dungeon Fighter Online". Yes, "Online" is part of the name too. "Dungeon and Fighter" is the name in Korea though.

More on topic though:
Fuck, I wish I was Korean or Chinese though. This sounds like work I could enjoy doing. I bet it would also fill me with a sense of national pride. Or something... =P

DeusPayne

So, we live in a world where people who bot are now called hackers? Man, the term hacker has really lost all it's meaning these days.

Maurice Tan

Maaaaaaaaatt Daaaamooooon.

PK493

This isn't news, this should be filed under "Lolzshit".

oswyn123

I actually feel kind of bad that this is what they are resorting to... Makes you wonder how broke and impoverished they must be right now.

ikiryou

Well, I suppose it was invetibre..er..inevitable. <_<