South Korean military accuses North of cyber warfare

PHOTO

North Korea is the accused of staging cyber warfare agains South Korea. [ABC]

Last Updated: Thu, 7 Jun 2012 16:43:00 +1000

South Korea's military security chief has accused North Korea of training elite hackers to steal military secrets.

"North Korea is trying to steal military secrets and cripple our defence information system by using experts specially trained to hack into our military information network," said Defence Security Commander Bae Deuk-Shik, at a security forum.

He said the North has tried to "stir up social disorder by paralysing our core infrastructure through cyber terror as it can cause enormous damage in a short period."

Korea University Professor Lee Dong-Hun also told the security forum that North Korea had set up a special unit of 3,000 elite hackers under the direct control of new leader Kim Jong-Un.

"North Korea is the world's third most powerful nation in cyber warfare after Russia and the United States," said Professor Lee.

Seoul has previously accused Pyongyang of staging cyber attacks on websites of South Korean government agencies and financial institutions.

Last month Pyongyang was accused of jamming the GPS systems of hundreds of civilian aircraft and ships in South Korea between April 28 and May 13.

In May 2011, the South said a North Korean cyber attack paralysed operations at one of its largest banks.

Pyongyang denies the charges saying that they are fabrications.

On Monday, police arrested a South Korean for allegedly distributing illegal computer game programs infected with malignant codes developed by North Korea.