According to the report, North Korea's intelligence service, the Reconnaissance General Bureau (RGB) has been operating in these countries using spies with cover careers as engineers, technical consultants in the construction industry and restaurant operators.
"They used the restaurants as a main front to conduct intelligence gathering and surveillance, targeting Japanese and South Korean politicians, diplomats, top corporate figures and businessmen who visited or were based in these countries," a source in Indonesian intelligence said.
In Indonesia, the source said, RGB was also known to be operating textile factories in major Indonesian cities, including Jakarta.
"One particular outfit located above a North Korean restaurant in central Jakarta was part of the RGB Indonesia office," the media cite the source saying.
Police spokesperson Senior Commander Argo Yuwono said the police would look into the restaurant's license before making any moves.
"We need to know first what their business is and who the owner is. There are different regulations for businesses owned by Indonesians and those owned by foreigner," he said.
The commander also added that the investigation will cooperate with the Foreign Ministry on the restaurant case.
According to the Asia One report, the RGB used drug smuggling to finance its foreign operations. This was discovered after the intelligence service failed to smuggle 125 kg of heroin into Australia via a commercial ship in 2003.
