Cyberattack attempts targeting the military reached nearly 19,000 last year, marking the highest figure in the past five years.

According to data submitted by the Ministry of National Defense to Rep. Yoo Yong-won of the People Power Party, a member of the National Assembly's National Defense Committee, on July 12, the number of cyberattack attempts against the military was 11,700 in 2021, 9,115 in 2022, 13,599 in 2023, 14,419 in 2024, and 18,951 in 2025.

Among the attack attempts recorded last year, 18,792 cases, or the vast majority, were attempts to compromise military websites by gaining administrator access.

Rep. Yoo's office stated that according to materials provided by the Cyber Operations Command, "due to the nature of cyberattacks that use methods such as IP spoofing and bypassing through overseas bases, there are limitations in identifying the specific entities behind attacks on our military," while noting that North Korea's hacking capabilities are becoming increasingly sophisticated.

Authorities estimate that North Korea has been conducting cyber warfare primarily through the Reconnaissance General Bureau, an organization under the General Staff Department responsible for intelligence collection and operations against South Korea and abroad.

North Korea expanded and reorganized the Reconnaissance General Bureau into the Reconnaissance Intelligence Bureau last year. At an enlarged meeting of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party held on July 9, chaired by General Secretary Kim Jong-un, a policy was presented to dramatically enhance the capabilities of the Reconnaissance Intelligence Bureau.

On the other hand, Rep. Yoo pointed out that conditions for securing specialized cyber personnel for the military are actually deteriorating.

The government operates a program that provides tuition support to students selected for specific university departments, who are then commissioned as specialized cyber officers (second lieutenants) after graduation and required to serve for seven years.

According to Rep. Yoo's office, out of 104 specialized cyber officers commissioned between 2016 and 2019, 89, or 85 percent, chose to be discharged after completing their mandatory service rather than opting for long-term service.

(Photo: Yonhap News)