The Second Attempt at Data Leakage
"Understood. I'll get to work immediately." After ending the call with Taesik, President Park Kyung-hoon immediately dialed Department Head Choi Jae-ho to request assistance.
"It's me! The Director Jang Min-ki of Jingwang Trading, whom I mentioned earlier, is attempting to leak technical data from Starlink Aviation."
"Correct. There's a guy named Wei Xian, presumed to be Chinese, and I need the NIS's help to investigate him."
"……."
"I made clone phones. I cloned the mobile phones of Deputy General Manager Choi Ho-jin of Starlink and Director Jang Min-ki of Jingwang Trading."
"I'll only hand over Director Jang Min-ki's clone phone. From our perspective, we need to keep Deputy General Manager Choi Ho-jin's clone phone in case Starlink Aviation's blueprints are leaked."
Taesik, having received the call from President Park, knew the NIS might request cooperation from Starlink Aviation, so he immediately called President Jo Yoon-je to explain the situation.
"It's not your fault. This is a case of individual deviation that is difficult to stop even with systems. Fortunately, we were able to detect it beforehand. Please cooperate if the NIS and President Park Kyung-hoon request it."
"And please, do not issue any security-related instructions. If the employee in question feels threatened, they might act differently, so you must wait."
While Taesik was securing cooperation from President Jo, President Park Kyung-hoon was drafting an operation scenario with his security team.
"The NIS team will be arriving in Sacheon soon. First, Starlink Aviation's technical data must not be leaked, and Deputy General Manager Choi Ho-jin and the figures behind him must face the judgment of the law. Propose an operation plan based on these two principles!"
At President Park's request, the security team leader spoke up. "How about trying to persuade Deputy General Manager Choi Ho-jin?"
"Impossible! If he finds out, there's a possibility he'll give up on everything."
Another team member offered a different opinion. "President, in order to extract additional data from Starlink, the department head's email approval is required. How about swapping the technical data when it moves from the internal network to the internet network?"
"How long does the network transition take?"
"It has to go through an intermediate server, so it takes about 5 to 10 minutes."
"Okay. The method of protecting the technical data by swapping it is good. What about the punishment part…?"
"Since we have the clone phones, there will be no problem securing evidence against Deputy General Manager Choi Ho-jin and Director Jang Min-ki. However, I think the Chinese man named Wei Xian is the problem… How about we raid them the moment the fake technical data is transferred?"
"We don't know if Director Jang Min-ki will contact Wei Xian directly or exchange data via email, do we?"
The security team leader stepped in. "For now, let's put Wei Xian on hold. We don't know how Director Jang will contact him, so let's decide while monitoring the progress."
"Good. Then, let's keep a close watch on Deputy General Manager Choi Ho-jin and decide in consultation with the NIS."
As soon as the meeting ended, President Park Kyung-hoon visited President Jo Yoon-je of Starlink Aviation to deliver the results of the investigation so far and request cooperation. President Jo was outraged that such a disgraceful incident had occurred at Starlink Aviation under his responsibility and agreed to cooperate, with President Park's security team taking charge of the intermediate server installed at Starlink Aviation.
Deputy General Manager Choi Ho-jin continued to leak technical data once a week, and the security team members generated fake technical data based on the drawing numbers attached to the emails and attached them instead. Once enough technical data had been sent externally, Deputy General Manager Choi finally contacted Director Jang Min-ki.
The security team monitored the conversation between the two in real-time.
"Director Jang! The technical data you wanted is ready. Is the money ready?"
"Is that so? Deputy General Manager Choi. Shall I prepare it in cash? Or should I transfer it to your account?"
"Please transfer it to my account. I have a separate account prepared." Deputy General Manager Choi wanted a bank transfer because he had a separate "borrowed-name" account ready.
"Understood. I'll contact you soon." After ending the call, Director Jang Min-ki made a call to China.
"Wei Xian. Our informant here says he has prepared the data you wanted."
"Is that so…?"
"How will you send the funds?"
"I will enter Korea. Can I meet that person?"
"No. They are reluctant to reveal their identity, so they don't wish to meet you. If you give me the cash, I will hand over the technical data." Director Jang Min-ki proposed a way to prevent the two from meeting, intending to keep 3 billion won for himself out of the 5 billion won he received from Wei Xian.
"Hmm… I will go to Korea first."
"Then when shall we meet?"
After setting the appointment, Director Jang Min-ki told Deputy General Manager Choi that the money would be ready in two days and set the meeting place in Seoul.
Seeing Deputy General Manager Choi submit a vacation request and purchase a flight ticket to the Philippines, President Park Kyung-hoon headed to Seoul, the meeting place, with the NIS agents nearby. Upon arriving in Seoul, President Park entered a meeting with the NIS agents led by Department Head Choi Jae-ho.
"Department Head Choi. Has any information come in about the Chinese man named Wei Xian?"
"Senior. The name Wei Xian appears to be an alias. There is currently no information at all, and it seems we will only be able to identify him once we make contact with Director Jang Min-ki."
"Let's start by thinking about how to arrest them. Given that Deputy General Manager Choi bought a USB at a mart yesterday, it seems he will deliver the technical data via USB. If we arrest them on the spot, it seems we can secure the evidence… When will you make the arrest?"
"There is a slight risk factor, but I would like to arrest them when Director Jang Min-ki and Wei Xian make contact. And when we make the arrest, I would like you, Senior, to step back. This time, there were instructions from the top to secure performance records."
"Hahaha. The NIS is still the same."
"We have to produce promotional performance records periodically. I am also bound to the organization, so I have no choice."
"Understood. We will support you from behind. Oh! And can you lift the flight restrictions over Seoul?"
"Why do you ask?"
"President Jo Yoon-je of Starlink Aviation is very angry. He says a technology leak incident occurred at a company he is responsible for, so he wants to launch a medium-altitude UAV."
"We also possess medium-altitude UAVs."
"If possible, use Starlink Aviation's prototype! The UAVs the NIS possesses won't have a way to link with the facial recognition program!"
"Doesn't Representative Kim have any intention of selling the facial recognition program? I asked last time, and he refused point-blank…."
"I am also part of Starlink, so if our Representative dislikes it, there is no way."
"It can't be helped. I will request cooperation from the Air Force to use the skies over Seoul."
The NIS mobilized a large number of their own wiretapping vehicles and field agents, and President Park tracked Director Jang Min-ki's movements along with Department Head Choi. As Director Jang Min-ki left the Jingwang Trading office, NIS agents began to follow him. Seeing Director Jang Min-ki enter a nearby hotel coffee shop, the NIS agents immediately requested the hotel's cooperation, entered the hotel security office, and watched the CCTV footage. The hotel security staff were nervous seeing the NIS agents suddenly barge in.
Department Head Choi saw a figure presumed to be Wei Xian sitting in front of Director Jang Min-ki and immediately gave instructions to the staff.
"Find the screen where that guy's face is visible!"
The agent who downloaded the CCTV footage with the cooperation of the hotel security staff immediately sent the photo to the NIS, and a call came in a moment later.
"Department Head. Wei Xian's identity has been revealed. As a result of confirmation by our agents in China, he is Zhang Fang, an official belonging to China's Ministry of State Security."
"Ministry of State Security……? The Chinese intelligence authorities are involved……?"
"And there is a problem."
"What is it……?"
"I checked the entry and exit records, and it says he used a diplomatic passport."
"Damn it……! Arrest is impossible."
"What should we do?"
"Let's arrest them as flagrant offenders first and then think about it. Where is Choi Ho-jin now?"
"They say he is at a coffee shop two blocks away."
Director Jang Min-ki, having met Zhang Fang of the Chinese Ministry of State Security, left the coffee shop immediately, seemingly having obtained what he wanted, and went to meet Deputy General Manager Choi Ho-jin, who was waiting for him near the hotel. Since Zhang Fang was looking at his phone without moving from his seat, Department Head Choi sent a radio message to the field agents.
"Jang Min-ki has departed for your location. Once the contact is finished, arrest Deputy General Manager Choi Ho-jin immediately!"
When Director Jang Min-ki received the USB from Deputy General Manager Choi at the coffee shop, he took out a laptop to check the data.
"Does it contain everything you wanted?"
"Director. It contains everything, including interface blueprints, electro-optical cameras, and data link technical data. Don't you trust me?"
"A large sum of money is going to be paid to you, so I have to check the basics." After checking the data inside the USB, Director Jang transferred 2 billion won to the account Deputy General Manager Choi handed him and left the seat immediately.
After confirming the real-time bank transfer on his laptop, Deputy General Manager Choi followed Director Jang to transfer the money to the Philippines. While Deputy General Manager Choi was walking two blocks, touching the inside pocket of his jacket where the bankbook was, a black van suddenly appeared, and strange men got out.
"Mr. Choi Ho-jin! We are arresting you for violating the Act on Prevention of Divulgence and Protection of Industrial Technology!"
The agents who grabbed Deputy General Manager Choi's arms immediately put him in the van and sent a radio message right away.
"Department Head. Deputy General Manager Choi Ho-jin has been arrested, and Director Jang Min-ki has departed for your location."
"Okay!"
A moment later, Director Jang Min-ki entered the hotel coffee shop again and walked toward Zhang Fang, who was waiting in the seat he had occupied earlier. Zhang Fang, who had raised his head, spotted Director Jang and took out his laptop.
"Did you check the data?"
"From what I can see, it seems correct, but would you like to check it once?"
"Let's look at it right here."
Department Head Choi Jae-ho recorded the two men's actions via CCTV and asked the agents a question.
"You've finished collecting evidence, right?"
"Yes. Now we just have to raid them."
Department Head Choi immediately gave instructions to the agents.
"Arrest those two and take them in!"
The agents moved to the seat where Zhang Fang and Director Jang Min-ki were and arrested them immediately. Zhang Fang was flustered at first, but soon hardened his expression.
"I am a Chinese embassy official. I have diplomatic immunity."
He took out his ID card and claimed diplomatic immunity, and the agents recorded this scene while grabbing Zhang Fang's arms.
"It's possible the diplomatic ID was forged, so let's go and verify it."
That evening, the NIS held a press briefing announcing that they had arrested a group attempting to leak Starlink Aviation's technical data on the spot, and reported the news that they had expelled the Chinese embassy official with diplomatic status, making public the fact that Chinese intelligence authorities were behind it. Fortunately, Starlink avoided attacks from the media due to the fact that Starlink Aviation's technical data had not been leaked.