Jul 23, 2019 12:00:00

Suspected that Huawei has contributed to the wireless network used for spying in North Korea

It is reported that Huawei , one of China's telecommunication equipment

giants, was deeply involved in the launch of North Korean wireless communication network ' Koryolink '. The US restricts US technology exports to sanctioned countries, including North Korea, but Huawei is suspected of defeating this and providing Koryolink with equipment using American-made parts.

North Korea's Koryolink: Built for Surveillance and Control | 38 North: Informed Analysis of North Korea
https://www.38north.org/20019/07/mwilliams022219/

China's Huawei secretly helped build North Korea's wireless network, documents reveal-The Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/leaked-documents-reveal-huaweis-secret-operations-to-build-north-koreas-wireless-network/2019/07/22/583430fe-8d12- 11e9-adf3-f70f78c156e8_story.html

Huawei allegedly developed a spy-friendly phone network for North Korea
https://www.engadget.com/2019/07/22/huawei-helped-build-north-korea-cellphone-network/

According to reports, the relationship between Huawei and North Korea began in 2008. Huawei and China's state-owned enterprise Panda International have cooperated with North Korea, who had a desire to make their own wireless networks unique. The two companies provided the base stations, antennas, and other equipment required by 'Koryolink', and also provided network networks, software, management services, encryption technology, and so on.

The Washington Post also publishes 'Huawei's internal documents' which it has acquired independently. The following is a quote of communication equipment for 'Koryolink' presented to Panda International in 2008 and 2012 by Huawei.

(PDF file) 7a2246ca-8042-4751-a5f4-95a24bc5ed3e.pdf

Spreadsheets such as contract data are available on Github. In this document, North Korea is referred to as 'A9', which indicates that Huawei was careful in the company of 'specific countries' such as North Korea, Iran, and Syria.

38 North , which handles analysis and news about North Korea, reports that Huawei and Panda International have contributed to the 'spy surveillance system' in North Korea's wireless communications network. According to 38 North, the presentation materials provided by Huawei were about a technology system that provided 300 telephone and data communications simultaneously to 2500 specific targets. According to this system, it was possible to intercept the contents of the phone, mail, fax, HTTP communication, FTP communication etc. According to the Washington Post, information to support this is obtained from inside Huawei.

Huawei has been suspected of exporting communications equipment including US-made parts to sanctioned countries such as North Korea in 2016, and may find new export restrictions, civil penalties and criminal prosecution if evidence is found. There is. The sanctions against Huawei were just announced in July 2019, with plans for mitigation.

Chipmakers' lobbying has a major impact on Huawei sanctions relief-GIGAZINE

The US Department of Commerce declined to make official comments, but a staff member told the Washington Post 'supporting the general impression of Huawei that' the matter is 'avoid to break the deal and is keen to break.' ' I speak. 'We are in full compliance with the laws and regulations of the relevant countries / regions, comply with export restrictions and sanctions, and have not made any entry into North Korea,' Huawei has announced. However, he has kept silence against the question, 'Huawei had made direct or indirect transactions with North Korea in the past', and 'Is it true that the internal documents obtained by the Washington Post are of Huawei?' .