South Korea confirms cyber attack against government websites

The South Korean Ministry of Science and Technology has confirmed a cyber attack against government websites.

“The government can confirm a cyber attack by unidentified hackers that shut down several sites including the [presidential] Blue House,” the ministry said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

Hackers also attacked the website for the office for Government Policy Co-ordination and some media servers on the same day, the ministry added.

The shutdown came on the 63rd anniversary of the start of the 1950-53 Korean War.

Reports say the South Korean government has asked citizens to review their internet security. Seoul has also raised cyber-alert level in the country.

South Korea has blamed North Korea for the hacking incident. Seoul says the recent cyber attack is similar to that of March.

On March 20, three South Korean broadcasters and two banks came under a cyber attack that paralyzed computer networks and ATMs across the country.

According to the Korea Internet Security Agency, computer networks at KBS, MBC and YTN television broadcasters and the Shinhan and Nonghyup banks were “partially or entirely crippled” during the cyber attack.

Seoul and Pyongyang have accused each other of cyber attacks in recent years.

In addition, North Korea has accused the United States and South Korea of carrying out cyber attacks against its Internet servers on a daily basis.

Meanwhile, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported on Tuesday that a number of North Korean websites were also shut down. Unnamed sources were quoted by Yonhap as saying that the websites were apparently targeted by hackers.