A breach every month raises doubts about South Korea’s digital defenses

A woman uses her mobile phone while waiting to replace her USIM ship in front of an SK Telecom branch in Seoul on April 28, 2025. South Korea's largest carrier SK Telecom began on April 28, replacing USIM chips for its 23 million users following a data breach, prompting alarmed customers to form long queues for the replacements. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP) | Image Credits:JUNG YEON-JE / AFP / Getty Images

South Korea is world-famous for its blazing-fast internet, near-universal broadband coverage, and as a leader in digital innovation, hosting global tech brands like Hyundai, LG, and Samsung. But this very success has made the country a prime target for hackers and exposed how fragile its cybersecurity defenses remain.

The country is reeling from a string of high-profile hacks, affecting credit card companies, and telecoms to tech startups and government agencies, affecting vast swathes of the South Korean population. In each case, ministries and regulators appeared to scramble in parallel, sometimes deferring to one another rather than moving in unison.

Critics argue that South Korea’s cyber defenses are hindered by a fragmented system of government ministries and agencies, often resulting in slow and uncoordinated responses, per local media reports.

With no clear government agency acting as ‘first responder’ following a cyberattack, the country’s cyber defenses are struggling to keep pace with its digital ambitions.

“The government’s approach to cybersecurity remains largely reactive, treating it as a crisis management issue rather than as critical national infrastructure,” Brian Pak, the chief executive of Seoul-based cybersecurity firm Theori, told TechCrunch.

Pak, who also serves as an advisor to SK Telecom’s parent company’s special committee on cybersecurity innovations, told TechCrunch that because government agencies tasked with cybersecurity work in silos, developing digital defenses and training skilled workers often get overlooked.

The country is also facing a severe shortage of skilled cybersecurity experts.

“[That’s] mainly because the current approach has held back workforce development. This lack of talent creates a vicious cycle. Without enough expertise, it’s impossible to build and maintain the proactive defenses needed to stay ahead of threats,” Pak continued.

Political deadlock has fostered a habit of seeking quick, obvious “quick fixes” after each crisis, said Pak, all the while the more challenging, long-term work of building digital resilience continues to be sidelined.

This year alone, there has been a major cybersecurity incident in South Korea every month, further mounting concerns over the resilience of South Korea’s digital infrastructure.

January 2025

February 2025

April and May 2025

June 2025

July 2025

August 2025

September 2025

In light of the recent surge in hacking incidents, the South Korean Presidential Office’s National Security is stepping in to tighten defenses, pushing for a cross-ministerial effort that brings multiple agencies together in a coordinated, whole-of-government response.

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In September 2025, the National Security Office announced that it would implement “comprehensive” cyber measures through an interagency plan, led by the South Korean President’s office. Regulators also signaled a legal change giving the government power to launch probes at the first sign of hacking — even if companies haven’t filed a report. Both steps aim to address the lack of a first responder that has long hindered South Korea’s cyber defenses.

But South Korea’s fragmented system leaves accountability weak, placing all authority in a presidential ‘control tower’ could risk ‘politicization’ and overreach, according to Pak.

A better path may be balance: a central body to set strategy and coordinate crises, paired with independent oversight to keep power in check. In a hybrid model, expert agencies like KISA would still handle the technical work — just with more straightforward rules and accountability, Pak told TechCrunch.

When reached for comment, a spokesperson for the South Korea’s Ministry of Science in ICT said the ministry, with KISA and other relevant agencies, is “committed to addressing increasingly sophisticated and advanced cyber threats.”

“We continue to work diligently to minimize potential harm to Korean businesses and the general public,” the spokesperson added.

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