Hacking puts exports of nuclear reactor in jeopardy

More confidential data posted on Internet

By Park Si-soo

A hacker responsible for revealing confidential information related to Korea’s two nuclear reactors last week posted more information on the Internet Tuesday.

This time, links to four computer files were posted on a Twitter account at 3 p.m., including what appeared to be diagrams of the facilities. The hacker left a short message ridiculing the government’s desperate manhunt for him.

It was the fifth leak of information on the Gori and Wolsong nuclear power plants since Dec. 15. Previous postings included blueprints of the plants, internal testing data and the personal information of some 10,000 employees at the state-run nuclear power plant operator, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power.

The suspect is threatening to disclose further information unless the government stops operations at three of the 23 nuclear reactors in Korea.

Authorities have not ruled out the possibility that North Korea is involved in the incident.

A blow to exports

The incident will deal a severe blow to the country’s ambitious endeavor to export its self-developed nuclear reactors and related technologies, experts said.

The government insists the leaked information is “not something critical,” denying allegations that the incident can lead to any operational disruption at the 23 domestic nuclear reactors which supply nearly 35 percent of the country’s total electricity consumption.

“If it’s confirmed that the controversial information was leaked by hackers, it means that there are significant loopholes with our nuclear technologies and protection system,” said Lim Jong-in, professor at Korea University’s Graduate School of Information Security. “Especially, the information will make some nuclear facilities vulnerable to external attack.”

The cyber security expert worried that the leak will lead to a substantial loss of commercial attractiveness of locally developed nuclear technologies and equipment.

The two state bodies responsibly for nuclear safety ㅡ the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission ㅡ argue that the leak doesn’t compromise nuclear safety since the reactors’ operation program is not accessible through the Internet.

But experts say the leak itself will essentially dent international confidence in Korean nuclear technologies and related products.

Nuclear engineering Professor Seo Kyun-ryeol at Seoul National University echoed Lim’s comments, saying the incident will compromise the governments’ efforts to export nuclear reactors and technologies.

“As claimed by the government, leaked information might not pose a direct threat to the country’s nuclear safety. But it’s certain that this will badly affect the government’s effort to sell nuclear technologies and products,” Seo said. “Unfortunately, the incident took place with a series of unsavory scandals surrounding domestic nuclear plants still being remembered by many people. I fear that this case will further hurt the reputation of Korean nuclear technologies.”

A spokesman for KEPCO, a state-run power company responsible for exporting nuclear reactors, said the company has yet to receive any negative response from potential overseas buyers.

“We are closely monitoring foreign buyers’ reactions to the incident,” he said. “We have yet to detect anything negative toward us.”

KEPCO is set to build a nuclear plant in the United Arab Emirates by 2017 and three more in the oil-rich Middle East nation by 2020.

The company is trying to export nuclear engineering technologies to Finland as well.