South Korea Investigates Major Military Intelligence Leak Potentially Involving North Korea

South Korea probes a significant intelligence leak from its top military command, possibly compromising agents’ personal data and sensitive information to North Korea.

Key Points

• South Korea is investigating a significant leak from its top military intelligence command, potentially involving North Korea.
• The leaked data may include personal information of agents abroad, posing a threat to intelligence operations.
• The Korea Defense Intelligence Command, specializing in gathering intelligence on North Korea, is at the center of the investigation.
• Previous breaches, like the 2018 incident involving classified data sold to foreign agents, highlight ongoing security challenges.
• North Korea’s cyber espionage activities continue to target international entities, as highlighted by recent U.S., British, and South Korean advisories.

South Korea is investigating a severe leak from its top military intelligence command that, according to local media reports, may have led to sensitive information, including personal data on agents abroad, falling into the hands of North Korea. The South Korean military issued a brief statement on Saturday, stating that it would “deal sternly with” those responsible for the leak but refrained from confirming the details pending an investigation into the Korea Defense Intelligence Command, where the breach occurred.

The Korea Defense Intelligence Command is a highly secretive branch of the South Korean military focused on gathering intelligence about North Korea, a heavily armed nation that frequently threatens its southern neighbor with nuclear weapons. The public acknowledgment of a leak from this command is highly unusual, underscoring the gravity of the situation.

The command operates a network of agents, often undercover as diplomats or other identities, in China and various parts of Asia. These agents dedicate years to recruiting North Koreans as contacts, supplementing intelligence gathered by the United States and its allies through spy satellites and electronic intercepts. If personal data about these agents has been compromised, it could severely impact South Korea’s intelligence capabilities regarding North Korea.

This incident echoes a significant security breach in 2018 when an active-duty officer affiliated with the command was found selling classified information to foreign agents in China and Japan. The compromised data reportedly included details about the command’s agents in China and North Korean weaponry.

The intelligence and counterintelligence operations between North and South Korea are intense and ongoing. South Korea periodically arrests individuals accused of espionage for North Korea, while North Korean hackers have targeted computer networks in the U.S., South Korea, and other countries to steal information or cryptocurrency. Recently, the U.S., Britain, and South Korea issued a joint advisory warning about North Korea’s global cyber espionage efforts to steal classified military secrets to support its nuclear weapons program.

On Thursday, the U.S. Justice Department announced an indictment against a North Korean military intelligence operative for conspiracy to hack into American health care providers, NASA, U.S. military bases, and international entities, aiming to steal sensitive information and install ransomware. A reward of up to $10 million has been offered for information leading to the arrest of the operative, Rim Jong Hyok.

As South Korea continues its investigation, the incident highlights the ongoing challenges and threats posed by espionage and cyber warfare in the region, with significant implications for national and global security.