U.S. political columnist Gene Cummings has publicly questioned the South Korean government, asking, "North Korea is announcing plans to increase its number of spies, yet what is the South Korean government doing?"

On the 28th, Cummings stated on Facebook, "While Kim Jong Un openly declares that he will expand his overseas spy network and significantly strengthen his intelligence-gathering capabilities against South Korea and the United States, South Korea is suffering from a massive leak of personal information belonging to the intelligence agents responsible for national security." He demanded accountability from the Lee Jae-myung administration.

Citing a report from the Wall Street Journal, he noted that "there are signs that Kim Jong Un is receiving technical and intelligence support from Russia and China, while also attempting to secure new overseas bases in countries like Belarus." He diagnosed that North Korea is currently expanding its state-level intelligence warfare to gain deeper insight into the military plans, foreign policy, advanced technology, and the movements of key figures in South Korea and the U.S.

However, he pointed out that in South Korea, "the online education system of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, which falls under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was hacked for an extended period, yet the Ministry concealed this for five months," adding that this must be viewed as the work of a North Korea-linked hacking group.

Cummings also expressed his dismay, stating, "This incident alone should be cause for national security officials to step down, yet on top of that, it has been revealed that the military medical information system has been breached as well."

He criticized the fact that medical imaging data for 1.15 million people, including military personnel and civilians, was stolen between November and December of last year due to a hack of the Armed Forces Medical Command's Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS), noting that this was only made known to the public after parliamentary requests for information and media reports.

He analyzed that "the successive exposure of personal information of diplomats and intelligence agents, as well as the medical records of soldiers, means that the security perimeter protecting South Korea's diplomatic, intelligence, and military institutions has collapsed."

He further criticized the government, saying, "Despite this, North Korea has openly declared that it will strengthen its overseas spy networks and reconnaissance capabilities against South Korea and the U.S. In such a situation, the South Korean government hid the fact that information on diplomats and intelligence agents had been leaked for months, and in the case of the sensitive medical information of military personnel being exposed, they have not even clearly stated who the intruders were or what data they viewed or downloaded."

Cummings launched a scathing attack, stating, "Since the Lee Jae-myung government took control of South Korea, the government has opened everything to North Korea and is defenselessly handing over national security secrets. This is a severe security crisis in which the state is neglecting its internal defense network, allowing the enemy to strengthen its preparations for attack."

The following is the full text of Gene Cummings' Facebook post.

North Korea has declared it will increase its number of spies and significantly strengthen its intelligence-gathering capabilities

Kim Jong Un has openly declared that he will expand his overseas spy network and significantly strengthen his intelligence-gathering capabilities against South Korea and the United States.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Kim Jong Un is conducting a major expansion of North Korea's overseas intelligence networks and military reconnaissance capabilities.

Kim personally chaired a meeting on intelligence and reconnaissance this month and directed that North Korea's military reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering capabilities be "fundamentally" upgraded. North Korea is even changing the names of its reconnaissance agencies and seeking to expand its overseas operations networks and reconnaissance satellite capabilities.

There are also signs of movement to secure technical and intelligence support from Russia and China, as well as establishing new overseas bases in places like Belarus. North Korea is currently expanding its state-level intelligence war to gain a deeper look into the military plans, foreign policies, advanced technologies, and key personnel of South Korea and the U.S.

But what is the South Korean government doing?

South Korea has seen a massive leak of personal information belonging to the intelligence agents responsible for its national security. Despite the online education system of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs being hacked for a long time, the Ministry hid it for five months, and this must be seen as the work of a North Korea-linked hacking group.

This incident alone should be grounds for national security officials to resign, but on top of that, it has been revealed that the military medical information system was also breached.

Between November and December of last year, unauthorized individuals infiltrated the Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) of the Armed Forces Medical Command, which is used by six military hospitals in Goyang, Yangju, Pocheon, Gangneung, Guri, and Daegu.

Investigations found that the intruders accessed approximately 8GB of medical information, including names, genders, ages, dates of treatment, and X-ray, CT, and MRI scans. At the time, this system held medical imaging records for a staggering 1.15 million people, including soldiers and civilians.

The Ministry of National Defense confirmed the breach during a security audit in April, but the incident only became public knowledge after parliamentary demands and media reports.

The consecutive exposure of personal information of diplomats and intelligence agents, as well as the medical information of soldiers, means the security defense line protecting South Korea's diplomatic, intelligence, and military institutions has collapsed.

Yet, North Korea has openly stepped forward to declare it will strengthen its overseas spy networks and reconnaissance capabilities against South Korea and the U.S.

In this situation, the South Korean government hid the fact that diplomats' and agents' information was leaked for months, and in the case of the military medical information breach, they have not clearly identified the intruders or disclosed what materials were accessed or downloaded.

The enemy is declaring that it will increase its spies and strengthen its intelligence operations as if mocking South Korea to steal more information.

Since the Lee Jae-myung government took control of South Korea, the government has opened everything up to North Korea and is giving away national security secrets without a defense. This is a critical security crisis where the state is leaving its internal defense network unguarded, allowing the enemy to reinforce its preparations for attack.

◆ Gene Cummings

A U.S. political columnist. After working at Channel 13 in Baltimore, Maryland, he served as Editor-in-Chief of the ‘Sunday Times’ (1994–1996) and Business Director of ‘The Korean Weekly’ (1996–2000), subsequently founding the ‘Asia Post.’ He is currently a co-editor of The Korea Signal, a media outlet specializing in U.S.-Korea policy and security analysis.