Two-star general to lead S. Korea's cyber command: official

SEOUL, Dec. 1 (Yonhap) -- The envisioned military cyber command South Korea plans to launch next month will be led by a two-star general and manned by 200 computer specialists, an official said Tuesday.

South Korea plans to launch a so-called cyber command on Jan. 1 to tackle the
increasing threat of cyber attacks by North Korea. South Korean officials suspect
North Korea was behind attacks that paralyzed dozens of South Korean and U.S.
government Web sites earlier this year.
"It will be an independent unit led by a major general and 200 personnel," an
official at the Ministry of National Defense said, speaking on condition of
anonymity. Another official said earlier this year that the command will be fully
operational by mid-2010.
According to South Korea's Defense Security Command (DSC), North Korea operates a
cyber warfare unit that specializes in hacking into South Korean and U.S.
military networks. Most attacks by North Korean hackers are believed to take
place via China.
The two Koreas remain technically at war with each other as their 1950-53 Korean
War ended in a truce rather than a peace treaty.
samkim@yna.co.kr
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