North Korea's hacking capability is believed to have reached the level of that of the Central Intelligence Agency.

In the 2005 Defense Information Security Conference on Thursday, Dr. Byun Jae-jeong of South Korea's Agency for Defense Development voiced concerns about Pyongyang's online activities.

Byun pointed out that simulations regarding Pyongyang's intelligence warfare capability suggest it is comparable to that of the CIA's. He claimed that it is capable of causing damage to the U.S. Pacific Command Center and to networks in the United States.

Byun also said that the North Korea has 500 to 600 hacking personnel assigned to infiltrate networks and to disable command communication systems.

He went on to say that North Korea has been developing hacking techniques at Mirim Automation University, a five-year university. Since 1981, the university has produced about 100 intelligence warfare specialists annually.

Byun claimed that Pyonyang is engaging in cyber attacks on internet servers of the United States and other countries, adding that the North runs about 39 tapping centers to collect intelligence from all over South Korea.