S Korea to Map Out Anti-Wiretapping Measures on Cell Phones

According to Asia Pulse , South Korea's Information and Communication Minister Chin Dae-je said Tuesday his ministry will draw up a series of anti-wiretapping measures on mobile phones after the nation's intelligence agency admitted it had tapped conversations made on the devices by influential figures.

"Under the plan, the ministry will improve the encryption for code division multiple access (CDMA) mobile phones and strictly ban the use of illegally cloned handsets, Chin told reporters in a press briefing.

In addition, the ministry will draw up a measure to root out sales of portable wiretapping machines.

Wiretapping fears have resonated in South Korea, where more than 37 million out of the nation's 48 million population own a mobile phone, after the National Intelligence Service publicly apologized early this month for its past practice of bugging phone conversations.

The apology is also an embarrassment for the information minister Chin, who has said it was impossible to wiretap the portable handheld devices."

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emily | 9:44 AM | Technology |
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