North Korea accused of hacking South Korean game servers

North Korea has been accused by its Southern counterpart of stealing prizes worth almost £3.7 million in an elaborate hacking scheme.

The North has denied claims that hackers based in north east China were employed to break into a game servers (such as Lineage) based in Seoul and build programs designed to siphon off data. On Thursday the Guardian reported that five men had been arrested in connection with the alleged theft.

The hack allowed the attackers to build up gaming points without actually playing and then those points were later exchanged for cash after programs were sold.

The authorities said that the scheme had been carried out over the past year and a half, and it is thought that the hackers were asked to join the scheme as they are competent enough to skirt legal boundaries.

Korea Computer Centre, a research project based in Pyongyang is at the centre of the alleged theft, which has 1200 experts designing software and hardware for North Korea. Ironically the country is one of the most restricted in the world, refusing basics such as internet and mobile phone usage to its citizens.

This is not the first time that South Korea has accused the North of cyber-attacks. Earlier this year they alleged that the North had hacked into bank systems, paralysing them for days.

The North Koreans have also denied claims that they hacked into government websites and have accused the South of fabricating such stories.