KISA

The Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) is a South Korean public institution responsible for internet promotion, information protection, and cybersecurity.

KISA

Overview

KISA (Korea Internet & Security Agency, 한국인터넷진흥원) is a quasi-governmental organization under the Ministry of Science and ICT of the Republic of Korea, and a core national agency overseeing internet promotion, information protection, and cybersecurity. It traces its origins to the Korea Information Security Agency founded in 1996, and was expanded and reorganized under its current name and structure in 2009; it carries out policy and technical support for responding to national cyber threats and creating a safe digital environment.

Key Details

Background and History

KISA's predecessor is the Korea Information Security Agency, established in 1996. Later, in response to the spread of internet use and the growth of cyber threats, it was renamed the Korea Internet & Security Agency in 2009 and its organization was expanded and reorganized. It is currently designated as another public institution under the Ministry of Science and ICT, performing a national role in the internet and information protection fields.

Main Functions

  • Cyber Threat Response: Operates the Korea Internet Security Center (KrCERT), providing 24-hour cyber attack monitoring, response to and recovery support for DDoS, ransomware, and hacking incidents.
  • Personal Information Protection: Establishes institutional and technical foundations, including technical support for personal information protection, vulnerability inspections, and personal information impact assessments.
  • Internet Address Resource Management: Manages and distributes internet infrastructure resources such as IP addresses, domain names, and IPv6 transition.
  • Fostering the Information Security Industry: Strengthens the competitiveness of the domestic information security industry through support for security technology development, workforce training, and startup incubation.
  • Digital Forensics and Vulnerability Analysis: Handles support for cybercrime investigations and the analysis and sharing of software vulnerabilities.
  • International Cooperation: Participates in the global cybersecurity framework by cooperating with international organizations and overseas institutions.

Organization and Operations

KISA has several divisions and centers under the President, representative examples being the Korea Internet Security Center, the Personal Information Protection Center, and the Internet Address Center. It also provides nationwide security services in cooperation with regional information protection support centers.

Latest Trends

In 2024-2025, KISA is focusing on establishing security frameworks in new technology fields such as AI security, cloud security, zero trust, and supply chain security. It is developing detection and analysis technologies to respond to attacks exploiting generative AI, and is pursuing support for the transition to post-quantum cryptography (PQC), stronger ransomware response, and expanded cybersecurity workforce training. In addition, in line with the realization of a digital platform government, it is strengthening security consulting for public institutions and private-sector cooperation frameworks, and is also actively engaging in responding to global cyber threats through international coordination.

Related Topics

  • [[Cybersecurity]]
  • [[Personal Information Protection Act]]
  • [[KrCERT]]
  • [[Ministry of Science and ICT]]
  • [[Information Security Industry]]