South Korean defense contractors are tightening security for employee travel to China, with one firm instructing staff to use rented phones instead of personal smartphones. The industry is tightening security after Chinese authorities expanded their power to inspect travelers' electronic data and amid a sharp rise in leaks of South Korean defense technology.
'Don't Bring Your Personal Phone' — Tighter Security for China Trips
One South Korean defense contractor recently advised employees to use separate rented devices rather than personal smartphones when visiting China and other countries with strict cyber surveillance, defense industry sources said on the 25th.
The guidance applies to personal travel as well as business trips. The aim is to reduce the risk that work-related information could be exposed through phone inspections by local authorities, hacking or loss of the device.
Employees who must bring a personal phone were told to delete work applications and key files before departure. The company also urged staff to avoid public Wi-Fi and USB charging ports at airports and hotels, citing the risk of data theft or malware infection.
Another defense firm is advising employees to avoid flights that transit through China. A third company is running security training for overseas travelers on how to handle situations such as phone confiscation or detention.
The training covers not only preventing loss and theft of devices but also how to counter "social engineering" attacks, in which attackers exploit personal psychology or relationships of trust to extract information.
China Can Now Demand Travelers' Electronic Data, Putting Industry on Edge
The industry's heightened caution stems in part from changes to China's immigration rules.
China put new State Council regulations on exit and entry administration into effect on Sept. 15. Under the rules, Chinese authorities may request electronic data, not just paper documents, when verifying a traveler's identity and purpose of visit.
Travelers are required to cooperate with lawful investigative requests from the authorities. Foreign nationals who submit false materials or are penalized for illegal entry or exit may be barred from entering the country for a set period.
Defense companies are concerned that work files stored on phones could be exposed as the rules are enforced. Because work-related information can remain on personal devices even on non-business trips, the companies are extending their warnings to leisure travelers.
The rule change does not mean every traveler's phone will be inspected. The industry is strengthening preventive measures to head off any possibility of a leak.
Defense Data Leaks Surged From 2024, Mostly Through Cyberattacks
A sharp increase in leaks of South Korean defense-related materials is also driving the push for tighter security.
Leaks at defense contractors and their suppliers jumped to 17 cases in 2024 from eight in 2021, three in 2022 and five in 2023, according to data submitted by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration to Yoo Yong-won, a People Power Party lawmaker on the National Assembly's National Defense Committee. Another 16 cases occurred last year. This year's tally is running at a level similar to last year's.
Most of the leaks resulted from external cyberattacks rather than unauthorized removal of data by employees. Of the 17 cases in 2024, 16 stemmed from hacking or other cyberattacks, as did 14 of the 16 cases last year.
Hacking incidents believed to be linked to North Korea were confirmed in two cases in 2024 and one last year. Files were actually leaked in two of those cases.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration said intrusion attempts targeting defense-related companies have increased along with a broader rise in cyberattacks across South Korea. Identifying the actual attackers is difficult, however, because they often change their internet protocol addresses or route traffic through overseas servers.
In 15 cases since 2021, a suspected leak was reported but investigators could not confirm whether data had actually been taken. "Awareness of security risks originating in China is widespread across the industry," a defense industry official said. "Carelessness by a single employee can lead to a leak, so we are stepping up preventive guidance."