Ruling party pushes another anti-terrorism bill

NIS confirms NK's hacking of smartphones

By Kim Hyo-jin

The government and the ruling Saenuri Party are pushing for another anti-terrorism bill to be passed at the National Assembly, a move that has been met with objections by opposition parties and created further conflict in the polarized parliament.

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) claimed Tuesday that North Korea had hacked smartphones belonging to dozens of South Korean diplomats and security officials over the past weeks, and obtained phone conversations and text messages.

It also said that the North penetrated the computer network of a South Korean company which produces security software used by about 2,000 people for online banking, and warned of a large-scale cyber attack on financial networks.

Later in the day, the defense ministry also said that 10 of its computers were hacked between late January and early February, with some documents being leaked; but it said they were not classified information.

Soon after, the Saenuri Party urged Assembly Speaker Chung Ui-hwa to exercise his authority to put a pending anti-cyberterrorism bill to a vote.

Cheong Wa Dae also backed such a move, voicing the need to counter ongoing and further cyber attacks from North Korea following the recent U.N. resolution on sanctions.

“The North’s cyber terrorism has become a reality. The smartphones of South Korean officials have been hacked by the North according to the intelligence agency,” Rep. Won Yoo-chul, floor leader of the Saenuri Party, said during a party meeting.

“It is highly likely that the reclusive country, which faced toughened international sanctions, will step up harming our society through hard-to-detect cyber attacks.”

Won added: “The Assembly speaker should use his authority to pass the counter-cyberterrorism bill as it is the only possible solution to realize its legislation against the objection of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK).”

The move came days after the Saenuri Party unilaterally endorsed an anti-terrorism bill while lawmakers of opposition parties were absent from the Assembly to protest the vote. The MPK earlier conducted a filibuster for nine consecutive days after Chung invoked his power to table the bill, expressing concerns over the potential abuse of power given to the spy agency by the bill.

The anti-cyberterrorism bill was another requested by the Saenuri Party to put to a vote. It has been pending at the National Assembly’s Intelligence Committee since Feb. 22 after the MPK requested further deliberation on its content. The deliberation process could take a maximum of 90 days, which could continue after the general election.

The bill intends to set up a cyber security center under the authority of the NIS chief. If passed, the spy agency will be allowed to ask portal or messenger services for information and to dispatch their personnel and equipment to it when needed.

“The NIS’s warning of hacking attacks means we are in a serious situation, Cheong Wa Dae desperately expects the cyberterrorism bill to be passed in the February extraordinary session.” presidential spokesman Jung Youn-kuk said at a briefing.

The MPK strongly protested.

“We wonder what the reasons of the ruling party and the government are for constantly causing fear regarding security. We are deeply concerned whether they will attempt to monitor and control the public using terrorism as an excuse,” said MPK spokesman Kim Sung-soo.