North Korea hacked war plans, claims South Korean legislator

North Korean hackers may have stolen highly classified military documents, including US-South Korean wartime “decapitation strike” plans against the North, a South Korean legislator is quoted as saying.

Democratic Party representative Lee Cheol-hee reportedly cited unidentified defence officials as saying the hackers stole the plans last year.

If confirmed, such a hack would be a major blow for Seoul at a time when its relations with Pyomgyang are at a low point.

The South has taken an increasingly aggressive stance towards the North’s belligerence amid back-and-forth threats of war between North Korea and Washington.

Mr Lee was quoted as saying the plans included blueprints for attacks to eliminate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The South’s Yonhap news agency quoted Mr Lee as saying 235 gigabytes of military documents were taken.

While nearly 80% of the documents have not yet been identified, they reportedly included contingency plans for South Korean special forces and information on military facilities and power plants, it said.

Yonhap said South Korean defence officials said in May that North Korea may have hacked a crucial South Korean military online network but did not say what was stolen.

Seoul says North Korea has repeatedly staged cyberattacks on South Korean business and government websites. North Korea routinely denies responsibility.

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