Huawei Secretly Worked With Kim Jong Il, North Korea; Violated US Export Controls

China-based Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., the largest telecommunications equipment manufacturer in the world and the target of U.S. sanctions, secretly helped build the infrastructure for one of North Korea’s three wireless telecommunications providers infamous for spying on all its users.

The associated firm, Koryolink was the first 3G mobile operator in North Korea. Established in 2008, Koryolink is a joint venture between state-owned Korea Post and Telecommunications Corporation and Orascom Telecom Holding, an Egyptian firm now owned by Global Telecom Holding S.A.E. These firms formed a partnership named CHEO Technology to run Koryolink.

The Washington Post and 38 North on Monday revealed that Huawei helped build Koryolink in violation of U.S. export controls levied against it. Leaked documents cited by both news organizations reveal Huawei’s secret operations that built North Korea’s wireless network.

Both news organizations said Huawei and China's state-owned Panda International Information Technology worked together on projects in North Korea for at least eight years starting at a time when Kim Jong-il was North Korea’s dictator.

Huawei provided critical equipment to Koryolink like cellular infrastructure, and network management and encryption technologies. Panda provided software and transported Huawei gear in violation of sanctions. The Obama administration had banned Panda from receiving equipment originating in the USA in 2014.

Huawei provided the technology that allowed North Korean authorities to spy on anyone using Koryolink’s services. Huawei’s inclusive feature of interception gateways let North Korean authorities intercept phone calls, texts, data, and even faxes. The surveillance system was first built to spy on 2,500 targets, a number that later increased to 5,000.

Huawei kept its North Korean work secret and referred to North Korea as "A9" to continue this. Iran and Syria have also received codenames from Huawei.

Huawei's 3G equipment used by Koryolink contained some U.S. components that were in violation of the sanctions. The American export ban that restricts Panda of having no more than 10 percent American content in any of its gear could have been violated by the firm.

Huawei no longer maintains Koryolink. It is now managed by Kang Song network which was launched in 2013 and is supported by ZTE Corporation.

Huawei said it “has no business presence” in North Korea.

“Huawei is fully committed to complying with all applicable laws and regulations in the countries and regions where we operate, including all export control and sanction laws and regulations of the United Nations, United States and European Union,” said Huawei in a statement.

A Huawei spokesman, however, didn’t contradict the authenticity of documents shared with the company by the media.