SEOUL-- The arms procurement agency said Friday it will set up an anti-hacking agency next year to help protect defense firms in the wake of a recent series of hacking attempts targeting them.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said the envisioned organization, tentatively named Defense Industry Technology Management Institute, will focus on how to better protect defense technologies and prevent cyber attacks.
The government also plans to set up an interministerial task force involving the defense, science, and industry ministries, the national intelligence service and others to be in charge of conducting related surveys to prevent technology leaks and respond to hacking attacks, the DAPA said.
It also plans to push to levy fines of up to 1 billion won (US$851,063) on companies responsible for data leaks, while extending support for them to establish preventive systems, it added.
Recently, South Korea has suffered a series of hacking attempts against major institutions and defense firms that conduct sensitive projects, including the country's sole aircraft manufacturer, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), and the Atomic Energy Research Institute.
Source: Yonhap News Agency