South Korea to Strengthen Cybersecurity Measures Against Hacking, Disinformation

Cybersecurity illustration. (Wikimedia Commons/Chris Roberts)

JAKARTA - South Korea will conduct offensive cyber defense operations to protect critical national infrastructure from hacking attacks and counter disinformation, the presidential office said Sunday.

The National Security Council (NSC) unveiled the National Cyber ​​Security Basic Plan drawn up jointly by 14 government agencies, including the intelligence agency, police, and the ministries of foreign affairs, national defense, and science and ICT, following the announcement of a cyber security strategy in February.

"We will secure deterrence against cyber activities and threat actors that undermine national security and interests through proactive and active defense measures," NSC adviser Shin Won-sik said at a briefing, The Korea Times reported on Sept. 2.

"We will build a foundation to respond to disinformation that divides public opinion and causes social unrest online," he added.

To achieve the goal, South Korea will work with countries that "share liberal democratic values" to cooperate and coordinate cyber security responses and join international efforts to establish norms for a safe and peaceful cyber domain, Shin said.

The plan also outlines steps to improve the cyber resilience of critical infrastructure and key communications systems, including implementing artificial intelligence and separating national and public networks from the internet and other less sensitive networks to build a “layered security” system.

South Korea has been known to be trying to improve its cybersecurity amid concerns over alleged theft of cryptocurrency by North Korea to fund its nuclear and missile programs, as well as hacking of local defense contractors to steal military technology critical to major weapons systems.