In an annual audit conducted by the National Assembly, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) director, Kim Kyou-hyun, revealed that North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, is actively mobilizing support for Palestine in the midst of the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian-Islamist militant group Hamas.
The NIS director stated that Kim Jong-un has instructed a wide range of support for Palestine, possibly with the intention of capitalizing on the ongoing war in the region.
During the assembly, Rep. Yoo Sang-bum, the executive secretary for the Assembly intelligence committee, quoted the chief of the South Korean spy service as saying that North Korea might engage in arms trading with militant groups.
Furthermore, Kim Kyou-hyun mentioned that Russia likely provided North Korea with technology that could enhance its chances of successfully launching a spy satellite, following two failed attempts earlier this year.
The NIS also disclosed that North Korea has been sending artillery shells and other weaponry to Russia to support its conflict in Ukraine. These shipments, occurring approximately a dozen times since August, are estimated to provide Russia with enough artillery for at least two months in the ongoing Ukraine war. North Korea’s factories have been operating at full capacity to fulfill these weapon deliveries.
In terms of cybersecurity, the NIS chief informed lawmakers that over 80 percent of foreign cyberattacks against South Korea originated from North Korea and China. The frequency of such cyberattacks by these adversarial nations has increased by about 32 percent this year compared to the previous year. Notably, North Korea has shifted its focus towards targeting private companies, including South Korea’s widely-used portal site, Naver, rather than government agencies.
In response to these cybersecurity concerns, the ruling People Power Party and the Democratic Party of Korea agreed during the audit to establish a committee to investigate the National Election Commission’s cybersecurity readiness, especially with the upcoming general election just six months away.
A joint cybersecurity evaluation conducted by the NIS and the Korea Internet and Security Agency from July 17 to September 22 revealed potential vulnerabilities in the national election watchdog’s database, highlighting the risk of unauthorized access, extra ballot printing, and result manipulation.
For more updates stay tuned to FELA News!
Source: The Korean Herald
