South Korea conducts drills against nuclear plant cyber attack

SEOUL // South Korea launched a two-day drill on Monday to test its ability to thwart cyber attacks on its nuclear plants after a series of data leaks by a suspected hacker.

The drill was conducted at the country’s four nuclear plant complexes, said state-owned Korea Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP), which operates 23 nuclear reactors and supplies about 30 per cent of the country’s electricity.

“The two-day drill is under way through simulators to ensure the safety of our nuclear power plants under cyber attacks,” said KHNP spokesman Kim Tae-seok.

Last week a suspected hacker published a variety of information on a Twitter account entitled “president of the anti-nuclear reactor group”.

It included designs and manuals for two reactors, as well as personal information on some 10,000 KHNP workers.

The hacker threatened on Sunday to release more information unless the government shuts down three reactors from December 25 and warned residents living near the plants to stay away for the next few months.

State prosecutors launched an investigation but have yet to find out who was responsible.

“The hacking of nuclear power plants is a serious problem ... Our military is also maintaining a close watch on any cyber attacks,” South Korea’s defence ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok said Monday.

The drill comes at a time of heightened concern about cyber crime after a crippling attack against Sony Pictures which both Seoul and Washington have blamed on North Korea.

South Korean officials say the North is believed to run an elite cyber war unit of at least 3,000 personnel.

* Agence France-Presse