Have North Korean animators worked on Western cartoons despite sanctions?

It seems that no punishment, no matter how strict, can be circumvented… Thus, North Korean animators could have contributed to the creation of Western animated films without informing their broadcasters, 38 North reported.

According to this organization, which specializes in monitoring the “Land of Great Leaders,” it has published some pictures from the animated series Invincible And Iano, child wonder (streamed by Amazon Prime Video and Max respectively) was actually “found” on a server based in North Korea.

Subcontracting is prohibited

Full drawings, animations, instructions and comments will be uploaded daily to this server… from North Korea! The problem: International sanctions – but mainly American – prohibit any commercial activity between American and North Korean entities.

For Michael Barnhart, who handles North Korea-related issues inside a computer security firm, “there is nothing to suggest that Western companies were aware” of these frauds, ZoneBourse understands. What frauds might be involved, according to 38 North, China, which could have been entrusted with subcontracting work.

“no comment”

AFP has contacted Amazon Studios and has not responded (yet). As for the Max streaming service, it declined to comment.

You should know that North Korea has real expertise in the field of animation. SEK Studio, the government body that produces all kinds of cartoons, was specifically placed under US sanctions in 2021.

Choi Seong-gook, a North Korean defector cartoonist who worked at SEK studio from 1996 to 2002, told Reuters that the company already had a team at the time responsible for “working with foreign studios.”