A North Korean soldier at the truce
village of Panmunjom in the
Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) dividing
the Korean
Seoul (AFP) - South Korea's spy
agency said Monday that North Korea
was using Russian technology to
develop electromagnetic pulse
weapons aimed at paralysing military
electronic equipment south of the
border.
The National Intelligence Service
(NIS) said in a report to parliament
that the North had purchased Russian
electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weaponry
to develop its own versions.
EMP weapons are used to damage to
electronic equipment. At higher
energy levels, an EMP event can
cause more widespread damage
including to aircraft structures and
other objects.
The spy agency also said the
North's leader Kim Jong-Un sees
cyberattacks as an all-purpose
weapon along with nuclear weapons
and missiles, according to lawmakers
briefed by the NIS.
The North is trying to hack into
smartphones and lure South Koreans
into becoming informants, it said.
It has collected information on
where South Korea stores chemical
substances and oil reserves as well
as details about subways, tunnels
and train networks in major cities,
it said.
The spy agency also said North
Korean spies were operating in China
and Japan to distribute
pro-Pyongyang propaganda.
North Korea is believed to run an
elite cyber warfare unit of 3,000
personnel.
A South Korean lawmaker, citing
government data, said last month
that the North had staged thousands
of cyberattacks against the South in
recent years, causing financial
losses of around $805 million.
In addition to military
institutions, the North's recent
high-profile cyberattacks have
targeted commercial banks,
government agencies, TV broadcasters
and media websites.
North Korea has denied any
involvement in cyberattacks and
accused Seoul of fabricating them to
fan cross-border tension.
© 2013 AFP
Yahoo - ABC News Network
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