'North Communication Interception' Project Decided to Proceed with Domestic Development [Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club]

Frontline Communication and Electronic Signal Intelligence Collection Hyangbaek Project
Developed Domestically After 20 Years Since First Introduction in 2007

The Hyangbaek project, which can collect North Korea's communication and electronic signal intelligence from the front lines, will be developed domestically. This appears to be an effort to strengthen intelligence gathering on North Korea amid revelations that confidential information, including personal details of intelligence agents belonging to the Republic of Korea Army Intelligence Command (Jeongsosa), has been leaked to North Korea and others.

▲A sergeant who had completed guard duty at the GOP (General Outpost) on the eastern front line opened fire on fellow soldiers, resulting in a tragedy where five people died.

On the 5th, a government official stated, “The Hyangbaek project, which collects front-line communication and electronic signal intelligence, had equipment imported from the United States until 2007. However, with the final decision to develop it domestically, after verifying the required quantity and performance by this year, development is scheduled to begin in 2027.”

In June 1999, North Korea instigated the First Battle of Yeonpyeong and sent agents from the State Security Department to China to carry out operations to eliminate South Korean agents. Chinese authorities raided the National Intelligence Service safe house and a front company in Shenyang, China, which was a key hub of the North Korean intelligence network, arresting about 30 South Korean agents, which significantly curtailed intelligence activities against North Korea. During the administrations of Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun, about 600 counterintelligence specialists left the National Intelligence Service.

The military began strengthening intelligence on North Korea. The ‘777 Unit’ conducted the Hyangbaek project until 2007, capable of intercepting communications and signals not only from North Korea but also parts of China. They invested 200 billion won to import American-made equipment from GDAIS. This equipment was installed from the northwestern islands such as Baengnyeongdo and Yeonpyeongdo to Hyangrobong. In 2009, after the free warranty period ended, an additional $15.54 million (approximately 21.52 billion won) was spent on overseas maintenance and technical support. However, the 777 Unit became controversial as it reportedly failed to detect North Korean military movements and intentions related to the Cheonan incident and the Yeonpyeong Island shelling provocation. In 2012, Won Sei-hoon, then director of the National Intelligence Service, and Kim Kwan-jin, then Minister of National Defense, who appeared before the National Assembly’s Intelligence and Defense Committees respectively, stated that they learned of the death of former leader Kim Jong-il by watching TV.

The military believes that if domestic defense companies have the technology to upgrade the Baekdu reconnaissance aircraft, domestic development of the Hyangbaek project is also feasible. The Baekdu reconnaissance aircraft captures North Korea’s electronic intelligence (Elint) and communications intelligence (Comint). Domestic defense companies LIG Nex1 and Hanwha Thales have added a function for foreign instrumentation signals intelligence (Fisint). The Fisint function detects signal exchanges between electronic devices even when there is no movement in North Korean military communications, nuclear facilities, or missile bases.

Some argue that while advanced equipment-based intelligence gathering on North Korea is necessary, human intelligence (HUMINT) must be reinforced again. HUMINT, which requires nurturing people, demands significant time and patience. The defection of Hwang Jang-yop, a Workers' Party secretary, to South Korea in February 1997; the defection of Jang Seung-gil, North Korea’s ambassador to Egypt, to the United States in August of the same year; the defection of Kim Dong-su, secretary of North Korea’s FAO delegation, in February 1998; and the defection of Kim Kyung-pil, secretary of the North Korean embassy in Germany, in January 1999?all were possible because of HUMINT.

A military official said, “Even though advanced technology will dominate the future, we must not forget that humans remain the most important agents in judgment and decision-making, and more effort should be devoted to restoring HUMINT.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.