North Koreans cannot access the global internet without the knowledge and permission of the regime in Pyongyang. And the OP says that "the North Korean IT worke

North Koreans cannot access the global internet without the knowledge and permission of the regime in Pyongyang. And the OP says that "the North Korean IT workers who used Knoot's laptop farm generated revenue for North Korea's nuclear weapons program", which suggests that Pyongyang is taking most of their earnings. So, whether or not they are victims themselves, they need to be stopped.