South Korea’s vulnerability to sophisticated cyber threats is highlighted by the recent spate of attacks from North Korea’s hacker group, Andariel. Microsoft’s Digital Defence Report casts South Korea and Israel as primary targets in the cyber landscape, driven by motives of financial gain and data theft.

This situation is further exacerbated by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration’s decision to slash funding for research and development (R&D), threatening the nation’s long-term cybersecurity resilience and potentially leading to severe economic repercussions.