You've probably heard of the CIA or the KGB, but there is a group in Pyongyang that makes those organizations look like hobbyist clubs. It is called Bureau 39 North Korea. Honestly, it's basically the world's most successful criminal syndicate, except it has a seat at the UN and its own nuclear arsenal.
While most of the world operates on trade deals and stock markets, this secretive office—often called Room 39—exists for one reason: to keep the Kim family in power with a constant flow of cold, hard cash. We are talking hundreds of millions of dollars every year.
It is a "slush fund" on a national scale.
The Origins of the World's Weirdest Office
Back in the 1970s, Kim Jong Il realized the country was broke. The Soviet Union wasn't handing out checks like they used to, and the North Korean economy was starting to stall. He needed a way to buy the loyalty of his generals with Mercedes-Benz cars and expensive cognac.
So, he created Bureau 39.
It started small. Maybe a bit of gold mining here, some mushroom exports there. But it quickly spiraled into something much darker. By the 1990s, when the country was suffering through a horrific famine, Bureau 39 North Korea was busier than ever. They weren't buying food for the starving population; they were perfecting the art of "supernotes."
Have you ever seen a fake $100 bill? Most are easy to spot. But the "supernotes" coming out of Pyongyang were so good that even the U.S. Secret Service had trouble identifying them. They used the same paper, the same ink, and the same specialized printing presses. It was a direct attack on the American dollar, and it worked for years.
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How Bureau 39 North Korea Actually Makes Money
If you think they just print fake money, you're only seeing the tip of the iceberg. This organization is diversified like a Fortune 500 company.
Take the "Pyongyang" restaurant chain, for example. You can find these in China, Southeast Asia, and even Dubai. They serve cold noodles and host traditional dances. But behind the scenes? The waitresses are often under 24/7 surveillance, and a massive chunk of the revenue is funneled directly back to Bureau 39.
Then there's the drug trade.
In the early 2000s, an official North Korean ship called the Pong Su was seized off the coast of Australia. It was carrying 150 kilograms of high-grade heroin. This wasn't a rogue captain trying to make a buck; it was a state-sponsored mission.
Modern Crimes: From Meth to Meta-Hacks
As physical smuggling got harder due to sanctions, Bureau 39 North Korea adapted. They are incredibly good at tech. Today, they are more likely to steal your Bitcoin than smuggle a bag of meth.
- Cybercrime: The Lazarus Group, which is linked to the regime's financial arms, was responsible for the $81 million Bangladesh Bank heist. They almost got a billion, but they were caught because they misspelled "foundation" as "fandation" on a transfer request.
- IT Workers: There are thousands of North Korean IT professionals living in Russia and China. They use fake IDs to get remote jobs at U.S. tech companies. They build apps, fix bugs, and then send 90% of their salary back to the Bureau.
- Insurance Fraud: This one is wild. The state-owned Korea National Insurance Corp would insure property in North Korea, claim it was damaged in a "natural disaster," and then force international reinsurers to pay out. In 2005 alone, they reportedly netted tens of millions this way.
It’s kind of a genius system, in a terrifying way.
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Why Nobody Can Stop Them
Sanctions are basically just suggestions to Bureau 39. They use a web of "front companies" with boring names like Zokwang Trading or Taesong Bank. One day the company is based in Macau; the next day it’s gone, and a new one pops up in Singapore under a different name.
They also use diplomatic pouches. Under international law, a diplomat's bag can't be searched. So, North Korean diplomats have been caught at airports with suitcases full of cash, ivory, and even rhino horns.
You've got to understand the scale here. We aren't just talking about a few million dollars. Some estimates suggest Bureau 39 North Korea controls between 25% to 50% of the entire country's GDP.
The Internal Power Struggle
Who actually runs the show? For a long time, it was old-school loyalists like Jon Il-chun. But recently, Kim Jong Un’s sister, Kim Yo-jong, has reportedly taken a much larger role in overseeing the family's finances.
It’s a high-stakes job. If you fail to meet your "loyalty quota" (the amount of cash you're expected to bring in), you don't just get a bad performance review. You disappear. This is why so many North Korean diplomats eventually defect—the pressure to produce money is simply too high.
What This Means for Global Security
Every time North Korea launches a missile, you can bet Bureau 39 paid for it. The "Slush Fund" isn't just for luxury watches. It is the lifeblood of their nuclear program.
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Without the illicit revenue from Bureau 39 North Korea, the regime probably wouldn't have survived the last decade of sanctions. They have turned "being a pariah state" into a profitable business model.
So, what can actually be done?
Honestly, it's a game of cat and mouse. Governments are getting better at tracking cryptocurrency. Banks are more careful about "know your customer" (KYC) rules. But as long as there is a gap in the global financial system—a bank in a country that doesn't care or a shipping lane that isn't patrolled—Bureau 39 will find it.
Actionable Insights for the Curious
If you're looking to understand the real-world impact of Bureau 39, keep an eye on these specific indicators over the next few months:
- Monitor Crypto Regulation: Watch for new UN reports on North Korean "mixers"—tools they use to hide stolen crypto. This is currently their #1 growth area.
- Watch the "Shadow Fleet": Observe the ship-to-ship transfers of oil in the East China Sea. This is how Bureau 39 bypasses fuel sanctions.
- Check Foreign Labor Laws: Notice if countries like Russia or China begin cracking down on North Korean "guest workers" in the construction or IT sectors. This is a primary source of their liquid cash.
The reality is that Bureau 39 is a survivor. It has outlasted multiple US presidents and several global recessions. It’s a dark mirror of the global economy, showing us exactly where the holes in our system are.