South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back (C) speaks during a press conference at the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul, South Korea, 26 June 2026. Photo by YONHAP / EPA
July 24 (Asia Today) — An unauthorized user gained access to a South Korean military medical imaging system containing records for about 1.15 million people, the Defense Ministry said Friday.
The intrusion affected a mobile picture archiving and communication system operated by the Armed Forces Medical Command.
The system allows medical personnel to view diagnostic images, including X-rays, computed tomography scans and magnetic resonance imaging scans.
About 8 gigabytes of medical information may have been accessed during the incident in November and December 2025, according to information the ministry submitted to Rep. Lim Jong-deuk of the opposition People Power Party.
The figure was estimated from network traffic rather than a confirmed inventory of downloaded files.
The amount would be equivalent to approximately 1,000 X-ray images, although the precise records accessed have not been identified.
The Defense Ministry said investigators had not confirmed whether any information was copied or transferred outside the system.
Six military hospitals potentially affected
Unauthorized access attempts were detected in systems used by six military hospitals in Goyang, Yangju, Pocheon, Gangneung, Guri and Daegu.
The potentially exposed information includes names, sex, age, dates of medical imaging and images produced through X-rays, CT scans and MRI scans.
The system contained medical imaging data for approximately 1.15 million people at the time of the incident.
That figure represents the total number of people whose records were stored in the system, not the number whose data was accessed or stolen.
The breach was discovered during a central security inspection led by the Defense Counterintelligence Command in April.
The Defense Ministry, Defense Cyber Command, Defense Counterintelligence Command and Armed Forces Medical Command formed a joint investigation team in June to determine how the intrusion occurred and assess its scope.
Investigators found that the unauthorized user could enter the system through an open network communications port.
The port reportedly remained open from November 2025 through March.
The Defense Ministry did not identify the person or organization responsible for the intrusion or disclose whether investigators had determined its country of origin.
System taken offline after discovery
The Defense Ministry said it stopped operating the system immediately after discovering the unauthorized access.
“The system was suspended as soon as the incident was identified,” a ministry official said. “The military will implement measures to prevent a recurrence based on the investigation’s findings.”
The ministry did not provide a timetable for completing the investigation.
The incident raises concerns about the protection of sensitive medical information held by South Korea’s defense institutions.
Medical images and associated personal details could reveal a service member’s identity, medical condition and treatment history.
The system’s users include enlisted personnel, noncommissioned officers, commissioned officers and generals. It may also contain information belonging to civilians treated at military hospitals.
The ministry said it would address identified security shortcomings and strengthen safeguards against similar intrusions.
— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
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