President Lee Jae-myung Orders Development and Deployment of AI Cybersecurity Technology
President Lee Jae-myung on Friday ordered officials to accelerate the development and deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) technology specialized in blocking cyberattacks, following a personal data breach at financial and public institutions. Speaking at a Cabinet meeting at the Blue House, Lee instructed relevant ministries to promptly review the security systems of not only the private sector but also all key national systems and to immediately implement necessary corrective measures.
The hacking incident that prompted the order hit seven domestic financial firms, leaking sensitive financial information — including annual income and loan limits — for some 68,000 customers and employees. The National Police Agency's Cyber Terror Investigation Unit said it was investigating those behind the attack and its circumstances. Traces of an open-source AI agent called "Artex AI," developed for security vulnerability testing, were found to have been abused in the attack methods. The attacker is believed to have routed through more than 20 IP addresses in about 10 countries, including the United States, Japan, and Germany.
"Responding after the fact, once an incident has occurred, makes it difficult to properly counter cyber threats that evolve by the day," Lee said, adding that the country must build the security capability to detect attacks in advance and block them preemptively. He noted that because technology is advancing so quickly that responses struggle to keep pace, the more reason to build capabilities and respond with even greater speed.
"The time has come to fundamentally overhaul our society's security paradigm for the age of artificial intelligence," Lee said, stressing that alongside building sophisticated security infrastructure, a strong sense of security awareness is also needed. He called on the public and private sectors to join forces in technology, institutions, and a shift in mindset to safeguard the safe daily lives of citizens.
