South Korea

배경훈 부총리 "AI 딥페이크, 기술로 막겠다"…'투트랙' 대응 원칙 재확인

ZD Net Korea | Local Language | News | Oct. 14, 2025 | Privacy

Deputy Prime Minister Bae Kyung-hoon of South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT emphasized the importance of developing foundational technologies to prevent the political misuse of AI deepfake technology. During a state audit held by the National Assembly's Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee on October 13, 2025, Bae articulated a "two-track" strategy that combines institutional measures against AI misuse with the advancement of AI technology to combat deepfake threats effectively.

The audit session featured a demonstration by People Power Party lawmaker Lee Sang-hwi, who presented a manipulated deepfake video involving KBS President Park Jang-beom. Lee criticized the government's lax response to manipulated content amid AI industry growth and warned that AI could become a tool for widespread misinformation, likening it to a "digital Goebbels." Deputy Prime Minister Bae acknowledged these concerns, agreeing on the urgent need for preventive measures while stressing that deepfake defense technology must be supported by advanced AI capabilities to keep pace with rapidly evolving misuse technologies.

Bae also highlighted South Korea's global lag in multimodal AI technologies that handle video, compared to advancements in language models. He announced ongoing efforts, including the incorporation of safety and reliability provisions in the AI Basic Act and research and development on deepfake prevention through the AI Safety Research Institute. He reiterated that simultaneous actions on institutional and technological fronts are crucial to effectively counteract AI misuse.

소닉월 장비 침해사고…100여개 계정 공격당해

ZD Net Korea | Local Language | News | Oct. 14, 2025 | Cyber Attacks and Data Loss

More than 100 accounts were attacked in a breach involving SonicWall SSL VPN devices, affecting over 16 customer accounts. The attacks began on October 4, 2025, and involved network scanning and attempts to access multiple local Windows accounts. Cybersecurity company Huntress confirmed these attacks and warned that the attackers appeared to have control of valid credentials rather than using brute-force methods.

The breach occurred shortly after SonicWall acknowledged unauthorized exposure of firewall configuration backup files stored in MySonicWall accounts. Although Huntress found no evidence directly linking the two incidents, it emphasized the need to reset credentials on active firewall devices to prevent further unauthorized access, given that sensitive information is stored within these configurations.

Huntress also recommended restricting WAN management and remote access where possible, revoking external API keys connected to firewalls or management systems, and closely monitoring login activity for suspicious behavior. The application of multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all administrator and remote accounts was highlighted as essential to enhance security.

Additionally, the ransomware group Akira has been actively exploiting vulnerabilities in SonicWall devices, increasing the risk of continued ransomware attacks. Ongoing vigilance is advised to mitigate these threats.

Joongang Ilbo | English | News | Oct. 14, 2025 | North Korea

Chinese President Xi Jinping has expressed readiness to strengthen strategic cooperation with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on international and regional issues. This was conveyed in a message responding to Kim's congratulatory telegram for the 76th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China, reported by North Korea's state media.

Xi emphasized the longstanding friendship and close ties between China and North Korea, describing them as "great neighbors, friends and comrades" whose traditional friendship is growing stronger. He highlighted China's commitment to deepen friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation with North Korea.

Furthermore, Xi stated that China aims to work with North Korea to enhance the welfare of both peoples, safeguard peace, stability, and promote international equity and justice in the region. This message follows Kim and Xi's first talks in over six years during Kim's recent Beijing visit for a military parade, signaling a reset in relations previously strained by North Korea's alignment with Russia.