North Korea News Podcast by NK News - North Korea’s Olympic hopes, a $10M FBI bounty and a fond farewell

Episode Date: July 30, 2024

North Korea’s 16-athlete contingent descended upon Paris for the Olympic Games last week, competing in events such as table tennis, wrestling and diving. NK News’ Joe Smith joins the podcast to talk about where the DPRK might achieve success, as well as a $10 million U.S. bounty for a North Korean national tied to a […]

Are you ready to delve into the mysteries of North Korea from a unique vantage point? Join NK News and Korea Tours for the exclusive North Korea from a Distance Tour. This isn't just another tour, it's a journey through the pivotal inter-Korean sites, guided by leading experts in DPRK affairs. With North Korea's borders closed for over four years, our carefully crafted itinerary offers you a rare glimpse into the region's complex dynamics. Experience an array of border location tours, engage in enlightening briefings and participate in Q&A sessions that promise deep insights into the realities of North Korea.

Plus seize the chance to cultivate valuable connections within the vibrant North Korea watching community. Whether you're a scholar, a journalist or simply a curious soul, the North Korea from a Distance Tour is your gateway to understanding one of the most enigmatic countries on the globe. Spaces are limited for this unique educational journey. Don't miss your chance to be part of this exceptional experience. Visit NK News or contact Corio Tours to reserve your spot today. Hello listeners and welcome to the NK News podcast. I'm your host, Jack O's Wetsuit and this short interview was conducted on the evening

of Monday, the 29th of July, 2024. And joining me here in the studio for possibly the last time for now is Joe Smith, our outgoing intern. Joe, welcome back on the show. Thanks for having me. Joe, this is an Olympic week. All eyes are on France. Not always for the right reason, but anyway, North Korean athletes, they've sent a team and it's their first Olympics since the 28

Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. Is that right? That is correct. Yes. They missed out on the 2020 Tokyo, which has of course moved to 2021 due to COVID. They didn't compete in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. So yeah, this is the first time. First time in six years that they've sent a sports team to an Olympics. How many people have they got out there?

They've got 16 athletes and then along with a delegation accompanying them. Right, you've got your coaches and your political binders, etc. etc. Exactly, yes. Yeah, okay. What events are they focusing political binders etc etc. Exactly yes. Yeah okay what events are they focusing on? Yeah they're called events aren't they? Yeah what Olympic events are they focusing on? The wrestling team is the largest contingent they're taking but yeah they've got boxers, divers, I believe yes not pro wrestling that's my favorite sport sorry yeah and divers and what else? Boxers, divers, yeah, gymnastic, judo, table tennis. They've already won three table tennis games.

Really? Yeah, they are. Saturday, they beat Japan in the mixed doubles. Yeah, and at the final stage, or is this still ongoing? This was, yeah, that was the last 16, they beat Japan. And then the quarterfinals yesterday, they beat Swedish, a Swedish duo. Okay. And also the women's singles, the North Korean woman singles

has beaten her Hong Kong opposition. Right, okay. So they're not yet at the medal stage, but they're getting in there. No, a good winning start. Yeah, a good winning start. Yeah, okay. Yeah, 16. And they were on one of the boats going down the Seine, weren't they, for the opening? Yeah, nothing controversial happened. Nothing controversial happened. Just yeah the Republic of Korea got misnamed as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. If you include all that then it's a much bigger set of athletes they have. I wonder if the North Koreans chuckled. Now were North Koreans wrongly named as the Republic of Korea in return? That's what I'd like to know. I don't think they were. I mean I

only saw the video going around of them what I'd like to know. I don't think they were. I mean, I only saw the video going around of them, you know, being called North Korea. I haven't seen anything. Yeah, then you've offended both Koreas. And that's a big no, no. Just to let Koreans know, they're not the only ones. I saw the news today that South Sudan was wrongly named as Sudan in one of the one of the sports. They got one job.

Yeah, well, you know, those people that are out there to name the countries, they do have one job very disappointing. Anything else on the Olympics, Joe? Yeah, well actually one thing is the weightlifting. They've got lots of good weightlifters in North Korea. They've won 18 medals in the past, five golds. But they weren't able to attend this because in 2022, the IWF mandatory qualifiers and North Korea didn't attend those due to the self-imposed restrictions which have kept them from attending any Olympics. So they're actually I guess they're lucky that these 16 athletes have been able to qualify for the events

that they're in. Yeah in some ways I mean I don't know like all the individual qualifying processes for each sport but yeah I know what you're right. I'm sure there's a few more that... Yeah, I heard from an unofficial source, Joe, this has not been publicized in the news, that the North Koreans arrived at the airport, I guess probably Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, to a welcoming party of friendly foreigners, mostly French, but probably some local Koreans as well. Oh, I'm glad. Surprised, but glad. Yeah, you don't want to arrive there and have nobody turn up to wave a hand or something. So that's a good way to start off.

Oh, before we move on as well, actually, on the Olympics, it's worth checking out Shrey as he did a great piece on the cyber Olympics and the potential for North Korea to conduct cyber operations there. You mean nefarious cyber Olympics and the potential for North Korea to, you know, conduct cyber operations there. Well, you mean, nefarious cyber operations at the Olympics? Yeah, they're known for their sort of fishing and ransomware and they may try to disrupt the Olympics or steal data. No suggestion that they're behind the train sabotage yet, is there? I haven't heard anything, but it wouldn't surprise me.

No, I'm joking. That's a joke scratch that from the record That's not true. Okay. All right moving on to the next story then Joe and I've momentarily forgotten what it was You're gonna have to remind me US bounty. Oh, yeah, that's right The US I guess the Department of Justice or the FBI or both put out a bounty on a prominent North Korean hacker And we've got a story about that on the NK News website this week. Tell us Joe more about this hacker. Why is he so desperately sought and how much money can I gain if I do find him? I'll start with the first question. Okay. 10 million US dollars. I could do with that.

Yeah, leading to his identification or location. If you know Jacko, then don't tell the podcast listeners, tell the FBI. Right. And yeah, he's wanted for, well, he's wanted because he's believed to have infiltrated US defense contractors, US Air Force bases, NASA, US healthcare providers, quite serious stuff and he's accused of infecting them with ransomware. That's what's being levied at him. Now, is he supposed to be the leader of some kind of a group, like the leader of Lazarus or Wanna Cry or something like that?

It makes it sound like that. The the FBI's notice does say about where is it? Him and his co conspirators, it mentions. So and it kind of makes it sound like he's a lead. He's one name. He's one with a face. Right. Right. Yeah, there is actually a photograph like it's almost a wanted photograph from the old style, isn't it? There is a photograph of the man. Wonder where almost a wanted photograph from the old style, isn't it? There is a photograph of the man.

Wonder where they got that photograph from? Good question. Yeah. We'll leave that one hanging there, like a pregnant pause. Okay, any more info on that one? So if you do know the man, what's his name? His name is Rim Jong Hyuk. Rim Jong Hyuk?

It could be Jong, yeah, Rim Jong Hyuk. Okay, so if you see Rim Jong Hyuk, if you know where he is, do tell the FBI or let me know and I'll do it and I promise I'll split the ten million dollars with whoever sends the info. Okay, now Joe, a poignant moment. You're finishing your internship here. This is true. It's been a full year, isn't it? Yeah, I originally only signed up for six months and very lucky to sign an extension. You made quite a jump to come into journalism because I think you're originally

from a different industry, aren't you? I did used to work as a full-time musician at one point, yeah, in the UK. Well, before I came here, in fact, at weddings and toured with various acts. Excellent, okay. And how have you found it working here? Yeah, it's great.

I mean, like in a good positive way, I think I was like thrown in the deep end, sort of, you found it working here? Yeah, it's great. I mean, like in a in a good positive way, I think I was like thrown in the deep end, sort of, you know, straight away, writing articles, contacting experts and things. But I like to think that, yeah, I mean, I sort of thrived in that situation. And, you know, I got to write some very interesting articles and work with a great team as well. Most importantly, before I ask about specific articles, is there a type of article that you like or a type of research, sort of investigative work that you like? That's a

difficult one. That is a difficult one because I feel like every time I've tried to do a long analysis piece, it always gets cut in half because I always end up writing 4,000 words and then Brian or Alana, our trusty editors are like, it's too long and there's too much information. Brian or Alana, our trusty editors are like, it's too long and there's too much information. However, I've always been fond of the ones where I spot something like Kim Joo-hye wearing Gucci glasses, for example, and I wrote that article,

and they always get really popular. And I think there is something, especially when I, beginning as a journalist, so to speak, it's something rewarding about seeing the views rack up on a particular post. And if you're the first one to report on that as well, and it gets shared and gets written by or rewritten by young hap and career times, career, how they also copy it and then credit NK News as well. So it's also quite rewarding.

Now, favorite story. Would it be Alan Titchmarsh's jeans? Perfect example. The Alan Titchmarsh's jeans. That went big in the Daily Mail after it went big on NK News. Yeah crazy one, but yeah, that's a somewhat rewarding one I think just cuz Just cuz the the traction they got the Kim Dwaye glasses one I really like I did a really fun one on the like analysis when They had the new North Korean song praising Kim Jong-un actually forget the name of it

Is it friendly friendly father friendly Father? I think it was called. Yeah, they did a fun analysis piece and that and talking to this whole range of different experts and TikTokers who were dancing to the video online. So that was just a really interesting, something completely different and Brian asked me to do it. And at the time I thought like, oh, goodness, I'm not too sure about this one, but it ended up being a really fun, rewarding piece and turned out well, I think. And some of the ones I worked on with Chad as well, where we use some diplomatic sources and we managed to work out that, you know,

they'd sent teams back to North Korea. Some of these Western countries, sorry, had sent teams back to North Korea to inspection teams to start sort of opening up their embassies and things. And even one of the piece me and Chad did as well on finding out that, um, they hadn't been able to send second inspection teams or that North Korea had effectively after initially kind of letting them in, they then kind of sort of shut the door to these countries as well.

And that's kind of remained in place since and it's, um, and it doesn't, it's hard to know what's going to change. Yeah. It's silly. we are in an interesting time. It's what a time to leave. What are you going to do next, Joe? Oh, yeah, well, I plan on continuing journalism, even in Korea, in the UK, but I'm not quite sure yet. You know, the world's my oyster.

The world is your oyster, Joe. Well, I do appreciate all the sterling work you've been doing. You've been also helping me behind the scenes with the podcast. Our listeners should know that Joe has been a great support here in the NK News office to me personally in putting the podcast together. So I always appreciate your help with that. Well, thank you very much, Jackov.

And thank you for the customer-facing work as well that people will see and remember every time they see a North Korean wearing Gucci glasses or Alan Titchmouse wearing a pair of blurry jeans, they'll think of you. Joe did that. Yeah. I must remember to thank him. All right. Thanks for coming on the show again, John. All the best.

Thank you. Dive deep into the heart of South Korea's most pressing stories with the weekly Korea Pro podcast. Hosted by Jong-Min Kim and John Lee, this weekly 15-minute podcast is your source for thorough analysis on all things ROK. From intricate politics to dynamic cultural shifts, we cover it all. Tune in every Friday on koreapro.org, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

KoreaPro Podcast, insight, not just information. Ladies and gentlemen, that brings us to the end of our podcast episode for today. Our thanks go to Brian Betts and Alana Hill for facilitating this episode and to our post-recording producer genius, Gabby Magnuson, who cuts out all the extraneous noises, awkward silences, bodily functions and fixes the audio levels. Thank you.