A hidden chip discovered inside a Chinese-made inverter. A kill switch hidden behind low-cost equipment, threatening the power grid. Graphic by Han-Mi-Il Daily.

“The invisible hand taking control of the power grid”

Solar inverters are more than just power converters. They act as the "brain," interconnected with the power grid to manage the flow of electricity across the entire nation. However, recent shocks have spread across the U.S. and Europe following the discovery of undocumented communication chips inside Chinese-made inverters and battery units.

This goes beyond simple hacking risks, revealing the potential for a "kill switch" that could disable the entire power grid via remote command. While the U.S. and Europe have defined this as a national security threat and have begun investigations and countermeasures, South Korea remains more than 90% dependent on Chinese products without even a security verification system in place.

The warning that an “invisible hand” hidden behind inexpensive equipment could take control of Korea’s power grid at any moment is becoming a reality.

On August 20, 2025, the U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) issued a security advisory to state transportation authorities. Following an exclusive report by Reuters on September 10, the issue created an international ripple effect.

The advisory stated that cellular communication chips not listed in product specifications had been discovered in power conversion devices and battery management systems (BMS). It warned that infrastructure equipment across the U.S.—including electric vehicle chargers, traffic cameras, and roadside weather monitoring stations—is exposed to potential remote-control threats.

Around the same time, the Danish industry organization "Green Power Denmark" also announced that unidentified electronic components had been discovered in imported equipment used for its national power grid. Germany has announced a policy to phase out Chinese-made equipment for its 5G network security.

The U.S. and Europe are treating the hidden functions in Chinese equipment as a national security threat and taking immediate action.

Security experts warn that if the hidden chips inside the inverters were to be activated, the power grid could be paralyzed simultaneously. If an inverter were to intentionally distort the frequency, the transmission network would become unstable, leading to a nationwide blackout.

Social infrastructure such as hospitals, subways, and airports would come to a standstill, while factory production lines and data centers would be incapacitated at the same time. If military communications and air defense networks are also compromised, the final line of defense for national security would collapse.

Furthermore, if these chips are capable of transmitting and receiving data, the leakage of sensitive information, such as power grid operational data and consumption patterns, would be inevitable. Experts define this as “hybrid warfare targeting physical infrastructure.”

The situation in South Korea is even more serious.

90–95% of solar inverters used domestically are Chinese-made, and some companies even engage in "label swapping," where they import finished Chinese products and sell them under their own brands. However, the KS certification system only covers electrical safety and contains no criteria for communication security verification.

Ultimately, there is no way to detect malicious communication chips even if they are embedded.

An official from the Korea Solar Energy Association pointed out, "The U.S. and Europe have already sounded the alarm, but South Korea lacks even basic security verification standards," adding that "at the very least, guidelines are necessary."

The attitude of the government and political circles is irresponsible.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Energy Agency are focused solely on expanding cheap renewable energy, ignoring security risks.

The National Assembly is also preoccupied with debates over solar subsidies and eco-friendly policies, with no institutional mechanisms for national power grid security.

Experts criticize this, stating, “Approaching security infrastructure solely through economic logic is an act of self-destruction.”

The controversy over hidden chips in Chinese inverters is no longer in the realm of speculation.

The U.S. and Europe are responding at the national security level. However, South Korea remains burdened by the double weakness of absolute dependence on China and a lack of institutional safeguards. Relying on cheap Chinese products is not merely an economic issue; it is a structural vulnerability that threatens national survival.

This is precisely the first reason why Korea must distance itself from China. If we hand the "kill switch" of our national security over to China, the crisis has effectively already begun.

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