According to Oh Seok-min from Yonhap, on 04 October 2023, South Korea’s intelligence agency, the National Intelligence Service (NIS), revealed that North Korea has conducted extensive cyber attacks on South Korean shipbuilders. These attacks were carried out following orders from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to enhance the country’s military capabilities. According to the NIS, there were multiple cyber attacks in August and September by North Korean hacking groups targeting domestic shipbuilding companies and their employees. The hackers infiltrated IT maintenance companies working for shipbuilders or sent malicious emails to employees to steal sensitive information.
The NIS stated that these attacks were likely orchestrated to fulfill Kim Jong-un’s directive to build mid- to large-sized warships. The agency also warned that North Korea is likely to continue such cyber attacks against South Korean shipbuilders and component manufacturing firms. In response, the NIS pledged to enhance monitoring efforts, provide additional support to domestic companies, and urged them to strengthen security checks and other preventive measures.
Kim Jong-un has been emphasizing the need to strengthen North Korea’s military power and develop its shipbuilding industry. During his inspection of the Pukjung Machine Complex last month, he highlighted the importance of modernizing the complex and outlined the development direction for the country’s shipbuilding industry, as reported by the North’s Korean Central News Agency.
Source: Yonhap
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