Nuclear research institute breached in suspected cyberattack: ministry

SEOUL, June 18 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's science ministry said Friday it is investigating a potential hack into a state-run nuclear research institute after its internal network was breached last month.

A Ministry of Science and ICT official said the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute's network was breached multiple times between May 14-31.

The ministry said the institute has since taken security measures, such as halting its virtual private network and blocking the attacker's internet protocol address.

Lawmaker Ha Tae-keung of the main opposition People Power Party said in a Facebook post earlier in the day that the institute was the target of a cyberattack on May 14 by a hacker group suspected to be associated with a North Korean intelligence agency.

The science ministry said in a statement that it is currently examining the extent of the hacking incident and the source of the attack.

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
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