North Korea operates a structured hacker training pipeline that selects approximately 150 to 200 students at age 11 or 12 for computer science education, according to Reuters. The most talented candidates advance to top universities at age 17 for further screening, with only a few ultimately joining the military's cyber unit. Citing defectors, Reuters reported that successful hackers' military units can receive up to 30% of stolen proceeds in US dollar shares. Top performers also earn housing in Pyongyang and large foreign-currency rewards. South Korea's National Intelligence Service estimated in 2024 that North Korea maintains roughly 8,400 cyber warfare personnel.