NIS Busts Chinese-Operated Fake News Websites, Cyber Espionage Revealed

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) of South Korea has identified over 30 websites posing as domestic media outlets operated by Chinese companies. Investigators found that these websites have been active for over a month. Concerns are growing that someone might manipulate these websites to sway public opinion before the New Year elections. Meanwhile, critics are increasingly calling out the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Review and Deliberation Committee for failing to act.

According to the NIS and the information security industry on the 12th, 38 of the domestic media disguise websites pointed out by the NIS last month are still in operation.

Earlier last month, the NIS announced through a press release that Chinese media promotion companies Haimai and Haijun are operating under the guise of legitimate domestic media websites. These websites are spreading pro-China and anti-U.S. content such as “South Korea, U.S. global ‘Democracy Summit’ participation, more loss than gain,” “China is supporting COVID-19 cooperation”, and “‘Blackout experiments’ taking place in U.S. military germ laboratories in Korea,” manipulating domestic public opinion.

The NIS specifically determined that immediate action was necessary, as the content from these sites could spread via social media, indicating potential cyber-influencing activities by the entities behind them. The NIS provided relevant data to the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Review and Deliberation Committee, which has the authority to block illegal and harmful sites. Still, no action has been taken so far.

Meanwhile, the NIS has identified an additional 178 Chinese websites disguised as domestic media outlets. Given that over 200 disguise sites are operating openly, it’s believed that a significant number of websites may still be undiscovered.

The primary concern is the high likelihood that these sites will be used to sway public opinion before the 22nd National Assembly elections in April of the coming year. The Ministry of Science and ICT’s recent ‘2024 Cyber Security Threat Forecast’ also sees a high possibility of cyber threats from forces aiming to exploit political events like the New Year’s general elections to create social chaos.

Moreover, these sites operate by illegally posting articles from domestic media outlets and interspersing pro-China and anti-U.S. content. Given that these sites are illegal for infringing copyright, the role of the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Review and Deliberation Committee, a private independent organization, is crucial. This is because the Committee can review illegal and harmful information on online sites like media disguise sites under the ‘Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission Establishment and Operation Act.’

A Broadcasting and Telecommunications Review and Deliberation Committee representative said, “We have not taken any action because we have not received any direct reports regarding the media disguise sites.”

There is also criticism that the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission is shirking its responsibility because it does not have direct review authority. The Commission had prepared a revision to the Information and Communications Network Act in 2021 to prevent digital sex crimes. It is pointed out that the Commission is not exercising its authority over the Chinese media disguise sites.

The Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission stated, “If the NIS determines that there are national security threats and the need for deletion/blocking, it can request the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Review and Deliberation Committee to block foreign servers through the Commission and Internet Service Providers (ISP). However, since the NIS primarily monitors and determines the issues with overseas sites, it is appropriate to see this as the jurisdiction of the NIS.”

By. Jae Hak Cho & Hye Mi Kwon