Chinese state-owned enterprise Hikvision's CCTV, which has been restricted for use by government agencies in major Western countries like the US and UK due to concerns over data leakage and security threats, has been confirmed to be installed on subway platforms in South Korea. ⒸHankook-Ilbo

It has been confirmed that CCTV manufactured by Hikvision, a Chinese state-owned enterprise whose use by government agencies has been restricted in major Western countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom due to controversies surrounding data leakage and security threats, is installed on subway platforms in South Korea.

According to photos confirmed as of the 24th, the CCTV is installed on the ceiling of a subway platform in Seoul. Unlike typical wide-angle surveillance CCTV, it is positioned at a height close to passengers' eye level, facing forward.

This raises concerns, as the equipment is from a company that has faced continuous international scrutiny over its facial recognition technology and data collection practices.

Due to its ties with the Chinese government and controversies over its surveillance technology provision, Hikvision's procurement has been banned at the federal level in the United States, and the United Kingdom has also ceased its use within government buildings.

While numerous Western countries have classified the company as a 'potential security risk' and are distancing themselves from it, the fact that its equipment is being used in South Korea's core public transportation infrastructure, the subway system, is an issue that cannot be taken lightly, according to critics.

In particular, over the past several years, South Korean society has been plagued by repeated large-scale personal data breaches, which have emerged as a serious social problem. Both public and private sectors have faced criticism for poor personal data management, leading to accumulated public distrust.

Despite this, the reality that overseas equipment, for which data processing structures and security concerns have been consistently raised, is being left without prior verification or public explanation is difficult to escape criticism that it reveals a complacent attitude towards national security awareness.

The subway system is a space used by millions of people daily and is not merely a convenience facility but a crucial national infrastructure. Minimum verification and transparent explanations are necessary regarding the method of storing recorded videos, server location, and the possibility of external access, yet no official clarification or inspection results have been confirmed.

'Unrestricted warfare' (超限戰), centered on information, technology, and psychological warfare rather than military conflict, has already become a reality. Security is no longer just a matter of guns and missiles. We live in an era where a single camera or system can become a vulnerability for the entire society.

There is no reason for South Korea to be an exception to the risks that its allies are wary of. If, amidst repeated personal data breaches, even raising an issue is not properly done, it is not a matter of management but a matter of national sensibility. Silence in the face of security is not neutrality, but neglect.

By Jung Woo-seok, Reporter