Bureau 39: Cash for Kim (Part 1) | People and Power

How is it possible that North Korea, one of the poorest countries on earth, manages to finance a nuclear weapons programme?

The answer is through Bureau 39, a secretive organisation hidden deep inside the government apparatus. Its aim is to procure foreign exchange, by any means possible, to fund Kim Jong Un's regime.

From printing counterfeit dollars and profiting from slave labour sent overseas, to illegally selling arms, committing insurance fraud and widespread computer hacking, the inventiveness of North Korea's sanction busters knows no bounds.

In this two-part investigation, filmmakers Sebastian Weis and Carl Gierstorfer gain remarkable access to whistleblowers previously involved in these activities. They reveal how for decades North Korea has been circumventing UN sanctions to finance its nuclear arsenal and how Kim's money men have repeatedly managed to outwit the West.

[D_Lion]

In every single video on North Korea, everything just looks too normal. Everything is too perfect, almost as if the people spent their entire lifetimes acting and rehearsing what a normal day would look like. This, is what we call a nightmare.

[WarsunGames]

You put your lives in danger for honesty. An that is Honorable Thank you.

[dss]

How come I saw this very same documentary in DW YouTube channel?

[horace]

North Korea got to do what it has to do. Submitting to the Anglo-American War corporation is not an option. It is ok life as it is one has to sacrifice to achieve self dignity, never bow down.

[RafaelSilva-odbb]

The "Where Are You, Dear General" song sounds like it's taken from a creepy sci-fi movie from the 80's.

[Joemama]

"1/3 of all buildings in Syria are destroyed by war" an amazing and incidental fact just dropped in the larger bucket of issues this programme describes.

[atharvarewatkar]

The only bad thing that I think is that none of the North Koreans living there will stand an opportunity to watch this😔

[suzankadel]

One day i will work for al jazeera....love from Nepal

[byrddog]

If all your people die from starvation... What are you protecting?

[andyzagray]

The sanctions only make them stronger ... the opposite affect like the iron curtain in Russia

[BT_Spanky]

Crazy to think that less than 100 years ago the Koreans themselves(mainly the North Koreans) actually fought for their particular system of government. All in the false promises of equality.

[hayaglamazonluxe]

Excellent documentary. Looking forward to Part 2

[jonc]

18:53 my guy has absolutely no poker face

[lovelywishes]

why polish government are not take accountable for this unhuman suppot to this n korean state what EU is doing

[hamzasyed]

Why does the UN Panel expert come across as an evil Bond villain?

[sakuranovaryan]

That North Korean Worker from Poland was so brave. I hope he is safe. =)

[alfabraxton]

And now you are being told to wear a mask for your own safety and you feel like you are being oppressed

[AaronGirmay]

You have to do the same documentaries for all dictatorships. Especially Eritrea.

[deedeeBP]

The biggest question is why on earth some other countries are allowed to have nuclear weapons, yet North Korea received sanction to do so.

[abcac]

Better trains than Costa Rica and Guatemala.