The office of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol announced on Wednesday that hackers from North Korea likely accessed the personal emails of one of his staff members before Yoon’s planned trip to Europe in November.

According to Yoon’s office, the security breach only impacted the personal account of an employee who did not follow security procedures and used commercial email services for official tasks. The officials did not disclose what specific information was taken from the employee’s personal emails, but emphasized that the office’s overall security system remained intact.

“We were able to identify the potential threat before Yoon’s visit and implemented appropriate precautions,” Yoon’s team stated in a message to journalists. The team also mentioned that they have been actively monitoring and protecting against frequent hacking attempts, which are believed to be linked to North Korea. However, they clarified that there was no breach in the presidential office’s security system.

In November, Yoon traveled to Britain for a three-day trip. During this time, he had meetings with King Charles III and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. He then continued his travels with a trip to France.

The government of North Korea operates a massive hacking program, which has been accused of illegally obtaining large amounts of money, particularly in the form of cryptocurrency. This money is then used to fund their nuclear weapons and missile program, despite facing sanctions from the international community led by the United States. Additionally, hackers supported by North Korea have been accused of stealing sensitive information from other governments, businesses, and think tanks.

A recent report from The Associated Press reveals that a U.N. group of specialists is currently looking into 58 potential cyberattacks and other breaches allegedly carried out by North Korea between 2017 and 2023. These incidents are estimated to have a value of $3 billion and may have been utilized to support the country’s efforts in developing weapons of mass destruction.

Although the country has denied any involvement, North Korea has been connected to significant cyber assaults and breaches in previous years. These include a 2013 attack that disrupted the servers of financial institutions in South Korea, the 2014 breach of Sony Pictures, and the 2017 WannaCry malware attack.

Source: wral.com