Reports indicate that a significant amount of technical data related to South Korea’s key aerial reconnaissance assets, the Baekdu and Geumgang reconnaissance aircraft, was leaked in a hacking incident. There is concern that this information may have reached North Korea.
According to the South Korean defense industry and police, a defense contractor responsible for creating operation and maintenance manuals for military equipment, including the Baekdu and Geumgang reconnaissance aircraft, was targeted by a hacking attack on August 9. Confidential information about the Baekdu and Geumgang reconnaissance aircraft reportedly leaked during this incident.
The South Korean police, in cooperation with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration and the National Intelligence Service (NIS), are investigating which specific technologies were leaked and where the leaked information might have ended up.
While it has not been definitively confirmed whether North Korea was behind the hacking, intelligence authorities believe North Korea likely orchestrated the cyber attack. In fact, after North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, directed earlier this year to target South Korea’s reconnaissance assets, cyberattacks from North Korea have surged.
The Baekdu and Geumgang reconnaissance aircraft, deployed in 2002, have played a crucial role in the South Korean military’s intelligence-gathering missions against North Korea for over 20 years. The Baekdu reconnaissance aircraft collects signals intelligence (SIGINT) and communications intelligence (COMINT) across North Korea, allowing for real-time monitoring of North Korean military communications and equipment operations. The Geumgang reconnaissance aircraft gathers imagery intelligence (IMINT) related to North Korean military activities in the frontline areas.
If North Korea acquires the technical data and details on the operation and maintenance of these reconnaissance aircraft, it could enhance its reconnaissance capabilities and gain insights into the South Korean military’s reconnaissance processes.
The police are also investigating indications of hacking attempts on other small and medium-sized companies in addition to Company A. Recently, North Korea has been targeting smaller defense companies, which tend to have weaker security compared to larger defense firms.
On Wednesday, Yoon Oh Jun, the third deputy director of the NIS, stated at a briefing, “North Korea’s (cyber) attacks are ongoing even as we speak,” and added, “In the past three to four months, there have been many attacks targeting smaller companies.”