Former Ssangbangwool Vice Chairman Bang Yong-cheol received a suspended prison sentence in the first trial for alleged interactions with North Korean operatives.
On Wednesday, Judge Kim Jun-hee of the Jeonju District Court’s Criminal Division 7 sentenced Bang to one year in prison with a two-year suspension for violating the National Security Law, specifically regarding illicit meetings and communications.
The court also handed down similar sentences to Bang’s co-defendants. A former Ssangbangwool employee received one year in prison with a two-year suspension, while two other accomplices were given 18-month sentences with three-year suspensions.
Bang and his co-defendants were indicted for conspiring to create hacking programs during meetings with Ri Ho-nam, a North Korean operative from the Reconnaissance General Bureau. These encounters took place at a hotel in China between June and November 2019.
Investigators uncovered plans to infect numerous computers in South Korea with the hacking programs they developed.
Prosecutors revealed that Bang had met with Ri multiple times since November 2018 to discuss Ssangbangwool’s North Korea-related projects, fully aware of Ri’s status as an operative.
Bang also provided logistical support, such as rental cars, for his co-defendants to meet with Ri and discuss the creation of hacking tools.
The court stated that the defendants engaged with a North Korean operative and plotted to create hacking programs aimed at infecting numerous computers, thereby colluding with North Korea. They maintained communication with the operative even after receiving hacking tools via email.
The judges emphasized that these crimes show a blatant disregard for the Republic of Korea’s sovereignty and its democratic order, prioritizing personal gain over national security. This carries significant weight in terms of culpability. However, it has taken into account the defendants’ expressions of remorse and their lack of active support for the North Korean regime in determining their sentences.