Maritime cybersecurity specialist CYTUR (CEO: Yonghyun Cho, Ph.D.), serving as a major sponsor, successfully hosted the ‘2025 Maritime Cybersecurity Workshop’ at Korea University, attended by approximately 150 professionals from the shipping, shipbuilding, defense, and IT\/OT security sectors. The workshop was organized to discuss strategies for addressing the growing cyber threats accompanying the accelerating digital transformation of South Korea’s maritime industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The event opened with a welcoming address from the President of the Korea Naval Association (former Chief of Naval Operations), followed by in-depth discussions on the implementation of international regulations from IMO and IACS, as well as strategies for strengthening cyber resilience in the maritime defense sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Session #1 (Shipbuilding & Maritime Defense Cybersecurity), held behind closed doors in the morning, brought together experts from the military, government, and defense companies to discuss security strategies for the domestic defense industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Defense Security Research Institute presented a systematic risk management approach centered on K-RMF (Korea Risk Management Framework). Commander Jungmin Kang of the Navy then outlined threats and response strategies for maritime manned-unmanned teaming systems, emphasizing heightened vigilance against the increasing attacks leveraging unmanned platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Donghyun Kim, Manager at Korean Air, shared the current state of unmanned aerial vehicle development and cybersecurity considerations. Shinwoo Shim, Principal Researcher at LIG Nex1, introduced cyber defense technologies for intelligent naval vessels. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries presented cyber attack response strategies for autonomous unmanned warships, highlighting the need for converged OT\/IT security systems in future maritime defense technologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Session #2 (Latest Trends in Shipbuilding & Maritime Cybersecurity), held in the afternoon, featured in-depth discussions on response strategies aligned with evolving global regulations and the digital transformation of ship systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The CEO of Rakuten Maritime analyzed global maritime cyber threat trends, emphasizing that “shipping companies worldwide have already begun proactive measures, and the Asia region urgently needs a rapid shift in security awareness.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dongcheol Lim, Team Lead at AVIKUS, presented case studies on shipboard cybersecurity implementation and field response technologies. Kongsberg Maritime Korea delivered a presentation on global ship equipment design and security enhancement strategies compliant with IACS UR E26\/E27 requirements, offering an implementation roadmap from the manufacturer’s perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Session #3, the workshop’s final segment, future challenges in maritime security \u2014 including international regulations, practical risk assessment, and AI-based threats \u2014 were comprehensively addressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dasom Lee, Senior Surveyor at RINA, provided a practical commentary on the key requirements of IACS UR E26\/E27. Sea-Net presented the critical factors to consider during shipboard cyber risk assessments, drawing significant interest from field experts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Closing the workshop, CYTUR CEO Yonghyun Cho delivered a presentation on ‘Maritime Cybersecurity and AI Threats.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n
CEO Cho detailed specific advanced attack patterns including novel attack scenarios exploiting generative AI and LLMs (Large Language Models), autonomous system disruption, AIS (Automatic Identification System) manipulation, and remote fault induction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He further noted that AI is transforming not only attack methods but also defensive approaches, emphasizing the need for AI-based security monitoring technologies, AI threat intelligence analysis frameworks, and AI security models specifically designed for shipboard and maritime OT environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
CEO Cho stated, “The maritime environment is a complex ecosystem where IT and OT are rapidly converging. Security is no longer simply a matter of operational stability \u2014 it has become directly linked to national defense security and international regulatory compliance.” He added, “CYTUR will strengthen its role as a key company responsible for the safety of the domestic and international maritime security ecosystem through regularizing this workshop and advancing our maritime-specialized solutions.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
CYTUR plans to enhance its solutions based on the AI-based threat response technologies and IACS UR E26\/E27 response strategies discussed at the workshop, and to expand customized consulting services for shipping, shipbuilding, and defense clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n