Hackers from North Korea are reported to have stolen a large amount of military documents from South Korea, including a plan to assassinate North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un.
Rhee Cheol-hee, a South Korean Democratic Party representative, said the information was stolen from his country’s defence ministry, citing information from unnamed defence officials, Yonhap News reported.
The contents of about 80% of the data have not yet been identified, Yonhap reported, citing Rhee, adding that the hack took place in September last year.
Pyongyang has denied responsibility for the cyberattacks, Yonhap reported, criticising Seoul for “fabricating” claims about online attacks.
The claims come amid heightened tensions on the Korean peninsula after US President Donald Trump tweeted “only one thing will work” when it comes to Pyongyang, hinting at military action.
In a rare public statement, Kim has responded to Trump’s jibes by vowing to “tame the mentally deranged US dotard with fire”.
The Washington Post reported the stolen documents included a plan drafted two years ago for dealing with full-blown war with North Korea and are said to include procedures to “decapitate” the North Korean leadership, according to Rhee.
It also reported the plans outlined how the military would respond to North Korean commandos crossing the border, or other local provocations, as well as a contingency plan in case of a sudden change in North Korea.
The mutual defence treaty between the US and South Korea means the American military would assume operational control of the alliance if a war breaks out. The two militaries conduct large-scale drills twice a year, and rehearse responses to different scenarios on the Korean Peninsula.