>perhaps he got into hacking there because it's the only way to support his family.

North Korean hackers are state employees. They're selected for the role based on their academic ability (top achievers go to the nuclear programme). The state takes the bulk of the earnings, but it is a more comfortable existence than for the average North Korean.

Your typical North Korean doesn't have the kind of unrestricted access to the internet necessary to become a hacker.

To be fair, people can't afford COL by opening a coffee shop in this day and age.