U.S., Korea should toughen combined cyber security

The top U.S. Air Force commander in Korea called Monday for "aggressive steps" to deal with the increasing threat of attacks on the defense computer networks of the two allies, according to Yonhap News.



"Both our nations have to take aggressive steps to defend both our separate and combined networks," Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Remington said at a forum, according to a transcript of his speech provided by the 7th U.S. Air Force. "When it comes to it, it`s all about the flow of information."



Remington cited July attacks on the Web sites of major Korean and U.S. government branches. Intelligence officials of the two countries suspected North Korea to be behind the incident.



"The attacks Korea experienced in July illustrated the susceptibility of our computer systems," Remington said, expressing concern over a possible breach of digital security in wartime.

"We just can`t afford to have our systems turned off, even for a little while or have concerns about data," he said. "We have to have guaranteed secure digital connectivity to fight."

The U.S. set up the 24th Air Force Cyber Command in August to counter the threat of digital attacks, Remington said, adding the allies are "really just getting started and have a long way to go."