Kim Jong Un Is a Fat Pig: Bizarre Test to Catch North Korean IT Spy
“Kim Jong Un Is a Fat Ugly Pig”: The Bizarre Test Reportedly Used to Catch North Korean IT Operatives
This might be one of the strangest job interview tests ever.
A post circulating on X claims that some U.S. tech companies dealing with suspected North Korean IT operatives have developed an unusual way of testing whether a job applicant is actually who they claim to be.
The alleged test?
Ask the applicant to insult North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
According to the post, suspected North Korean operatives have applied for remote technology positions using false identities, with the goal of gaining employment and potentially accessing sensitive company systems.
The interviewer then supposedly throws in an unexpected request: “Say Kim Jong Un is a fat, ugly pig.”
The idea is that someone genuinely working undercover for the North Korean regime might hesitate to openly insult the country’s leader, potentially exposing themselves.
“It’s like CAPTCHA: I am not a robot”
The bizarre claim has understandably attracted plenty of jokes online.
One commenter compared the alleged tactic to a CAPTCHA test:
“It’s like the captcha, ‘I am not a robot’.”
Another joked:
“This is like the real life version of a cop having to tell you they’re undercover.”
Others questioned whether such a simple trick could really fool a highly trained operative.
One user argued that a spy would presumably understand that completing a seemingly embarrassing request could be necessary to maintain their cover.
“If you are a highly trained spy then doing this basic test should not even be a question.”
Another commenter suggested that the North Korean government would likely accept the insult as a necessary part of completing the mission.
There is a serious story behind the joke
While the “insult Kim Jong Un” test makes for a funny social-media story, the underlying issue is considerably more serious.
U.S. officials have repeatedly warned that North Korean IT workers have used fake identities and other deceptive methods to obtain remote jobs with companies around the world.
The concern is not simply that someone is using a fake résumé. According to U.S. government warnings, North Korean IT-worker schemes can generate revenue for the regime and may provide opportunities for unauthorized access to corporate systems and sensitive information.
Remote work has made the problem particularly difficult for companies because an employee can appear to be an ordinary overseas software developer while concealing their real identity and location.
That has led some companies to introduce additional identity verification and background checks during recruitment.
