INTELLIGENCE LEAKS FOUND EN MASSE

[Anchor Lead]

It was also found that the North Korean agent belongs to the military institute of computer hackers dubbed Lab 110. The code name is "Boris." South Korea's military launched an emergency security inspection and cases of intelligence leaks haven been found en masse.

[Pkg]

Back in March 2020, a South Korean army captain received a covert offer from his former college classmate. It offered a financial reward forproviding certain classified information. The captain was going through a personal financial crisis at the time after losing money in online gambling. Last September he eventually contacted a person whose telegram account is dubbed "Boris." The latter introduced himself as a Korean-Chinese living in China and working as a software programmer. He said the gathered information would be provided to Russia. However, the defense ministry's prosecutors office says "Boris" was an agent from Lab 110, a computer hacking unit of North Korea's Reconnaissance Bureau. Lab 110 is believed to be responsible for the 2009 DDOS attacks on South Korea's Cheong Wa Dae and the National Assembly as well as private businesses. The investigators believe "Boris" is a high-ranking agent of the hacking team that has an "organization of dots" to conceal its members' actions even if they are caught and protect the organization from collapsing. "Boris" paid virtual currencies whenever the captain sent him information or received training. He also rewarded the captain on holidays. And the total sum reaches 48 million won.

[Soundbite] Kang Dae-sik(Nat’l Defense Committee(PPP)) : "This teaches a lesson that small deviations committed by individuals can cause enormous losses to their nation."

The military has conducted an emergency inspection and uncovered loopholes in intelligence security. More than 300 cases of classified information leaks have been found at some 400 military units. More than 40 cases involved military intelligence. Some 30 others were about the unauthorized use of laptops and USBs in the military.