사진 확대 A view of SNT Dynamics Co., Ltd.’s headquarters. [Photo courtesy of SNT Dynamics Co., Ltd.] As exports by South Korean defense companies expand, the defense industry is strengthening security systems to protect key technologies and military information. Companies are moving quickly not only to bolster their defenses against leaks of classified information, but also to obtain certifications and secure specialized personnel needed to enter overseas defense supply chains, including those in the United States.The defense industry said on the 4th that SNT Dynamics Co., Ltd. announced the previous day that it had become the first South Korean defense company to obtain Level 2 Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), certified by the U.S. Department of War. The qualification follows its achievement in June 2024, when it became the first South Korean defense company to obtain CMMC Level 1.CMMC is a certification framework through which the U.S. Department of War verifies how well companies participating in its defense supply chain protect technical information. To obtain Level 2 certification, companies must meet security requirements for protecting Controlled Unclassified Information handled in defense projects.The U.S. Department of War is reportedly planning to make CMMC Level 2 certification a requirement for future maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) and mass-production supply contracts. Establishing and maintaining such information-protection systems has become an important challenge for companies seeking to enter the U.S. defense market.To obtain the certification, SNT Dynamics Co., Ltd. overhauled security systems across its headquarters in Changwon, technical research institute and production facilities. It upgraded access controls for key technologies and its cyberthreat response system, and passed on-site inspections and technical verification covering some 110 security control items and about 320 detailed assessment objectives set by U.S. authorities.SNT Dynamics Co., Ltd. is also stepping up efforts to enhance its employees’ expertise. Director Jeong Gi-yeol, the company’s chief information security officer (CISO), obtained the Lead CCA qualification, a professional certification in CMMC assessment and certification, last April. The company has thereby built in-house expertise to meet the security requirements of the defense supply chain. 사진 확대 The Level 2 Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) certificate recently obtained by SNT Dynamics Co., Ltd. from the U.S. Department of War. [Photo courtesy of SNT Dynamics Co., Ltd.] The defense industry is stepping up its security efforts because technology leaks can harm both companies’ export competitiveness and national security. If weapon-system blueprints, production technologies or performance-upgrade materials are leaked, they could help rival countries catch up technologically or put companies at a disadvantage in export negotiations.In particular, the U.S. defense supply chain incorporates technical-information protection standards into contracts and supplier management. For defense companies, security certification serves both to protect internal confidential information and to expand overseas business opportunities. SNT Dynamics Co., Ltd. also plans to use the certification to make inroads with the U.S. military and NATO.The recent string of information leaks in the financial sector offers a cautionary example of the importance of corporate security. According to financial authorities, as of the 14th of last month, security breaches had been confirmed at 16 financial companies, with about 100,000 cases of personal information exposure recorded. There are signs that the defense industry wants to learn from these incidents.While information leaks in the financial sector have compromised customer information and undermined trust in services, security breaches in the defense industry could lead to the exposure of key technologies and military information. That is why defense companies are elevating security systems beyond internal management and making them part of their export strategies.A defense industry official said, “Defense technology is a company asset and, at the same time, information connected to national security,” adding, “Efforts such as CMMC certification are necessary to expand business opportunities, but it is important to completely prevent the possibility of weapon systems developed in South Korea leaking to overseas competitors or enemy countries.”
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