Seoul Spies Say North Korea Hackers Stole Semiconductor Secrets
North Korea's hacking groups have broken into at least two South Korean manufacturers of chipmaking equipment, as the country looks to evade sanctions and turn out its own semiconductors for weapons programmes, South Korea's spy agency said on Monday.
The news comes after South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol warned North Korea could stage provocations, such as cyber attacks or spreading fake news, to interfere in April's parliamentary elections.
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) said the South Korean firms had been a key target of North Korean hackers since late last year, and called for tougher security. North Korea penetrated the servers of two companies in December and February, stealing product design drawings and photographs of their facilities, the NIS said.
