The Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) and the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) have partnered with HD Hyundai Heavy Industries to strengthen cybersecurity capabilities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the shipbuilding and port industries.
The ministry announced Monday that it signed a "KISA-HD Hyundai Heavy Industries business agreement" at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries' Ulsan headquarters to cooperate on strengthening information security capabilities of SMEs in the smart shipbuilding and port industries and building a regional strategic industry security ecosystem.
The measure aims to address rising cyber threat vulnerabilities stemming from the shipbuilding industry's digital transformation (DX), including the adoption of smart shipyards and vessel automation systems. In particular, voices have called for countermeasures against so-called "cyber supply chain attacks" that target or go through partner companies with relatively weak security infrastructure. Following its announcement of the "Information Security Industry Promotion Plan" at the 7th Science and Technology Ministers' Meeting on the 16th, MSIT signed the business agreement as a follow-up measure.
Under the agreement, KISA and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries plan to work together to raise the security level of regional shipbuilding SME partners through activities including raising information security awareness among shipbuilding industry partners, diagnosing information security vulnerabilities and supporting improvements, and sharing cyber threat information and building cooperation systems in the shipbuilding industry.
In addition, MSIT and KISA will expand customized information security support for regional shipbuilding industry partners going forward, while HD Hyundai Heavy Industries will take charge of disseminating cyber threat information to partners and building cyber defense systems.
"Strengthening the information security capabilities of regional strategic industry partners is an essential element for stable digital transformation across the industry," Choi Woo-hyuk, head of MSIT's Information Security and Network Policy Bureau, said. "Starting with shipbuilding, Ulsan's flagship industry, we will solidify a field-oriented information security support model tailored to the characteristics of each region's strategic industries to create a safe digital environment at industrial sites nationwide."
