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Interest in wiretap-proof cell phones is on the rise after the Ministry of Information and Communication belatedly admitted that it is possible to eavesdrop on mobile phone conversations. Such phones prevent listening attacks by digitally scrambling the voice, but for unexplained reasons none are available here. That has led to speculation that the government wants to continue wiretapping mobile phone conversations.
In fact, some companies have tried to release wiretap-proof phones. In 2003, Pantech developed the first wiretap-proof cell phone and got as far as setting a premium price of W500,000-600,000 (US$500-600). But the model was never launched, according to the company because it was ¡°not marketable.¡± Yet industry insiders disagree, saying there would be demand for at least 150,000 phones.
Many say the reason Pantech gave up is because the government effectively blocks commercial sale of wiretap-proof phones. There are rumors that it bans the sale of such phones for the sake of ¡°public interest¡± precisely because they make eavesdropping impossible.
From there it is a small step to the assumption that the nation¡¯s intelligence service continues to listen in on the nation¡¯s cell phone conversations. A former official with the National Intelligence Service says wiretapping is necessary, saying the nation cannot sit back and watch espionage from North Korea and other countries or permit drug dealers to go about their business via mobile phone.
What is clear now is that the NIS in theory has the knowledge and the means to listen to mobile phone conversation if it wants to. Wiretap-proof phones are unlikely to come on the market any time soon, but a government team is currently researching ways of preventing eavesdropping.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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