The Documentary Podcast Could your colleague be a North Korean in disguise?
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Jun 18, 2025 Discover the eerie trend of North Korean IT workers applying for remote jobs abroad while disguising their identities. With blurred faces and advanced tech filters, these candidates raise profound questions about security and authenticity. The podcast reveals alarming insights from defectors and highlights the risks companies face when hiring remotely. As this phenomenon extends into Europe, it calls for greater vigilance in recruitment practices, leaving listeners pondering the implications of such digital deceptions on the job market.
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Suspicious AI-Filtered Interview
- David Machaldo experienced a candidate using AI filters to disguise their face in a cyber security job interview.
- The candidate refused to reveal their face, raising suspicions and ending the call.
Fake Profiles Suggest North Korean Origin
- Many suspicious remote job applicants display new, minimal online presence with fake profiles.
- Experts suspect these candidates often originate from North Korea, aiming to hide their true identities.
Defector Reveals IT Worker Conditions
- A North Korean defector described working abroad mostly in China with limited freedom and high salary deductions sent to the regime.
- Workers faked Chinese identities to apply for Western tech jobs while surveilled closely.