(123rf)

North Korea's state-sponsored cyberunit, comprising some 8,400 hackers, has mounted over 10,000 attacks against South Korea this year, South Korea's cyber operation command said Wednesday.

The Cyber Operations Command revealed these findings during a parliamentary audit session, according to Rep. Lee Seong-kweun of the ruling People Power Party and Park Sun-won of the main opposition Democratic Party.

The North Korean hacking group has intensified its cyberattacks on South Korea's defense sector, targeting military institutions and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration with phishing emails and malware.

The number of hacking attempts has been on a steady rise from around 9,000 cases in 2022 and 13,000 in 2023, reaching approximately 15,000 in the first nine months of this year. However, the findings indicate no major breaches have occurred. (Yonhap)