North Korean hackers attack US-South Korea military drills

Kim Jong-un recently ordered a drastic increase in the production of missiles and other weapons ahead of US-South Korea military exercises

The USS ‘Ronald Reagan’ aircraft carrier and the nuclear-powered submarine USS ‘Annapolis’ participate in a joint anti-submarine drill between South Korea, the United States and Japan in waters off South Korea last year (AP)

South Korean authorities reported on Sunday that suspected North Korean hackers have targeted a joint US-South Korea military exercise taking place this week. However, they stated that classified information has not been compromised.

“It was confirmed that military-related information was not stolen,” the police said in a statement on Sunday.

Commencing on Monday, South Korean and US military units will initiate the Ulchi Freedom Guardian summer exercises, spanning 11 days. The purpose of these drills is to enhance their capacity to address the increasing nuclear and missile threats posed by North Korea.

North Korea objects to the joint military drills, contending that they are indicative of the US and its South Korean ally preparing for an invasion.

The Gyeonggi Nambu provincial police agency said in a statement that the hackers orchestrated their attack through email correspondence directed at South Korean contractors stationed at the South Korea-US combined exercise war simulation centre.

The hackers are reported to have affiliations with a North Korean faction identified by researchers as Kimsuky.

Meanwhile, North Korea has consistently refuted any involvement in cyberattacks.

Researchers have noted that the Kimsuky hackers have employed a longstanding technique of using “spear-phishing” emails to deceive targets into revealing passwords or engaging with attachments or links that introduce malware into their systems.

Reuters reported that through a collaborative effort, South Korean law enforcement and the US military conducted a joint inquiry that revealed the IP address employed in the hacking endeavour corresponded with one previously linked to a 2014 cyberattack targeting South Korea’s nuclear reactor operator.

At that time, South Korea accused North Korea of being behind that cyberattack.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un recently made another inspection tour of major munitions factories and ordered a drastic increase in the production of missiles and other weapons, state media said last week, days before South Korea and the US begin their annual military drills.

The Korean Central News Agency said Mr Kim visited factories producing tactical missiles, mobile launch platforms, armoured vehicles and artillery shells on Friday and Saturday.

During a stop at the missile factory, Mr Kim set a goal to “drastically boost” production capacity so the facility can mass produce missiles to meet the needs of frontline military units, KCNA said.

Additional reporting by agencies