Elite North Korean students were given a course on blockchain technology and the crypto-currency Bitcoin in early November, the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST) announced via its website last week.

According to the website, the course was part of the “PUST Research Lecture Series” and was led by Federico Tenga, an Italian bitcoin entrepreneur.

“Our teaching is intended to assist the DPRK by building capacity that enables effective development and benefits the people of the DPRK,” a PUST spokesperson told NK News.

“We see IT systems and finance as an enabling technology in that context,” the spokesperson added.