North and South Korean websites knocked offline
Source: Agencies |
June 26, 2013, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
MAJOR government and media websites in South and North Korea were shut down for hours yesterday on the 63rd anniversary of the start of the Korean War. Seoul said its sites were hacked, while it was unclear what knocked out those north of the border.
Seoul said experts were investigating attacks on the websites of the South Korean presidential Blue House and prime minister's office, as well as some media servers.
There were no initial reports that sensitive military or other key infrastructure had been compromised.
The attacks in South Korea did not appear to be as serious as a March cyberattack that shut down tens of thousands of computers and servers at South Korean broadcasters and banks. Seoul alerted people to take online security measures.
The North Korean websites that shut down included those belonging to the national airline Air Koryo, the Rodong Sinmun newspaper, North Korea's official Uriminzokkiri site and Naenara, the country's state-run Internet portal. All but Air Koryo were operational a few hours later.
South Korean National Intelligence Service officials said they were investigating what may have caused the shutdown of the North Korean websites. North Korea didn't make any immediate comment.
Operators of several Twitter accounts who purported to be part of a global hackers' collective known as Anonymous claimed they attacked North Korean websites.
The shutdowns came on a war anniversary that both countries were marking with commemorations. They also are gearing up for the 60th anniversary of the end of the fighting on July 27, a day North Koreans call "Victory Day" even though the Korean War ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.
Tens of thousands of North Koreans were gathering yesterday to Pyongyang's main Kim Il Sung Square for the largest of many rallies around the nation denouncing the US.
In South Korea, thousands of people, including Korean War veterans, gathered at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul for a commemoration. Two South Korean army units held military drills in Yeoncheon, near the demilitarized zone, defense officials said in Seoul.
Seoul said experts were investigating attacks on the websites of the South Korean presidential Blue House and prime minister's office, as well as some media servers.
There were no initial reports that sensitive military or other key infrastructure had been compromised.
The attacks in South Korea did not appear to be as serious as a March cyberattack that shut down tens of thousands of computers and servers at South Korean broadcasters and banks. Seoul alerted people to take online security measures.
The North Korean websites that shut down included those belonging to the national airline Air Koryo, the Rodong Sinmun newspaper, North Korea's official Uriminzokkiri site and Naenara, the country's state-run Internet portal. All but Air Koryo were operational a few hours later.
South Korean National Intelligence Service officials said they were investigating what may have caused the shutdown of the North Korean websites. North Korea didn't make any immediate comment.
Operators of several Twitter accounts who purported to be part of a global hackers' collective known as Anonymous claimed they attacked North Korean websites.
The shutdowns came on a war anniversary that both countries were marking with commemorations. They also are gearing up for the 60th anniversary of the end of the fighting on July 27, a day North Koreans call "Victory Day" even though the Korean War ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.
Tens of thousands of North Koreans were gathering yesterday to Pyongyang's main Kim Il Sung Square for the largest of many rallies around the nation denouncing the US.
In South Korea, thousands of people, including Korean War veterans, gathered at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul for a commemoration. Two South Korean army units held military drills in Yeoncheon, near the demilitarized zone, defense officials said in Seoul.
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