South Korea’s military is reportedly contemplating a sweeping ban on the use of iPhones within its buildings, driven by heightened security anxieties. This potential prohibition comes amid fears that these devices could facilitate unauthorized voice recordings, posing a risk of sensitive information leaks.
The initial impetus for the ban emanated from the Republic of Korea Air Force headquarters, which, on April 11, issued a decree to be effected from June 1, explicitly prohibiting the use of devices that do not allow for comprehensive third-party control over inherent functions like voice recording. This directive has explicitly identified iPhones as items subject to the ban.
A document distributed within the military details the necessity of this move, “It’s inevitable to block any kind of voice recording, not just formal communications including meetings, office conversations, business announcements and complaints from and consultations with the public, but also informal communications such as private phone calls (within military buildings).”
This decision is the outcome of concerted discussions among the leaders of the army, navy, and air force, concentrated at the Gyeryongdae tri-service headquarters in South Chungcheong province. These deliberations have underscored the potential risks presented by the inherent features of iPhones, particularly their voice recording capabilities, which cannot be adequately controlled by the National Defence Mobile Security app deployed by the South Korean military. Unlike iPhones, Android-based devices, predominantly from Samsung Electronics, appear to be immune to this ban, as they comply with the military’s security app requirements.
The proposed ban is not limited to iPhones; it encompasses all types of smartwatches and wearable devices that share similar characteristics. If this policy is expanded as currently under review, it would affect the entire South Korean military, potentially impacting close to 500,000 personnel, according to figures provided by the Korea Institute for Defence Analyses.
The issue at the crux of the matter is the compatibility of the iPhones with the National Defence Mobile Security application. The military’s app, rolled out in 2013 and enforced across all service members by 2021, is designed to restrict certain functions of smartphones, including the camera, Wi-Fi, USB connections, and microphone, as a bulwark against information leaks. However, Apple’s stringent privacy controls preclude the application from disabling the microphone among other hardware functions, except for the camera, on iPhones. This limitation became particularly concerning with the introduction of a call-recording app for iPhones in Korea, which spiked the military’s apprehensions regarding voice privacy.
The Air Force’s announcement has set in motion a trial run of the prohibition within the army units since April, reflecting a systematic approach to extending the ban. The move indicates an intensifying focus on security within military facilities and may signal a shift in the permitted use of smartphones by military personnel, which is currently restricted to the hours between 6 pm and 9 pm.
While previous policies at the elite Joint Chiefs of Staff had led to stricter smartphone usage restrictions, they had been modified in 2020 to allow the use of smartphones if the security app was installed, iPhone users still had continually to leave their phones at the front desk when entering its buildings. A recent review by the National Human Rights Commission has recommended that such mandatory app installations be confined to essential staff and specific locations.
Relevant articles:
– [Exclusive] Korean military set to ban iPhones over ‘security’ concerns, koreaherald.com, 04/25/2024
– S. Korean Military to Ban iPhones, Smartwatches Over Security Concerns, The Defense Post, Wed, 24 Apr 2024 10:36:13 GMT
– South Korea military iPhone ban is poorly thought out, AppleInsider, Tue, 23 Apr 2024 13:42:34 GMT
– iPhone ban for South Korean military in talks but Samsung smartphones are fine- Details, HT Tech, Thu, 25 Apr 2024 03:46:30 GMT
– South Korean military may ban Apple iPhones in these places for its men, The Times of India, Tue, 23 Apr 2024 10:47:00 GMT