S Korea-crypto thefts

SEOUL, Nov. 11 (Yonhap) -- A senior South Korean diplomat has said that recent crypto thefts carry "significant" global security implications, calling for an overhaul of the cybersecurity paradigm to address growing threats of artificial intelligence (AI)-driven cyberattacks, according to the foreign ministry.

Vice Foreign Minister for Strategy and Intelligence Jeong Yeon-doo made the remarks during a cybersecurity conference co-hosted by South Korea and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna on Tuesday, after North Korea was accused late last month of stealing more than US$6 billion in cryptocurrency from Binance.

"Mentioning the recent rise in cryptocurrency thefts, Vice Foreign Minister Jeong said such incidents carry significant international security implications beyond the incidents simply being cybercrimes," the ministry said in a press release.

"In addition, Jeong called for a wholesale overhaul of the cybersecurity paradigm that befits the AI era given that AI-driven cyberattacks could take place at an unprecedented pace and scale," it added.

Jeong also pointed out the interconnectedness of security in the Indo-Pacific region and Europe, stressing the importance of bilateral cooperation.

Tuesday's conference was attended by some 100 people, including representatives from Japan, Australia, Thailand, Afghanistan and Qatar, as well as cybersecurity experts and officials from relevant international organizations.

The Seoul government has held the conference annually since 2017 to discuss responses to transnational security challenges.

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