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Police officers from National Police Agency show a seized computer which was used for hacking at the agency's headquarters in Seoul - Source: Reuters -
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North Korea's communications ministry was behind a series of
cyber attacks against South Korean and US websites in July, the
South's spy chief was quoted as saying.
Dozens of major US and South Korean government and business sites
were slowed or disabled with traffic generated by malicious
software planted on personal computers unknown to their
users.
South Korean officials said at the time that North Korea was a
prime suspect.
"The attacks on Korean and US internet sites were traced back to
circuits originating in China," the South's spy chief Won Sei-hoon
was quoted as telling a closed-door parliamentary committee meeting
by Yonhap news agency.
"North Korea's communications ministry has been confirmed as
leasing the line," Won reportedly said.
Some South Korean government websites, including the Defence
Ministry and National Intelligence Service, were affected in the
wave of attacks that lasted several days but did not lead to a
breach of sensitive material or damage to online infrastructure,
the agencies said.
Internet access is denied to almost everyone in impoverished North
Korea.
Intelligence sources say leader Kim Jong-il launched a
cyber-warfare unit several years ago.
South Korea's intelligence agency declined to comment on the Yonhap
report.