SEOUL, KOREA - Dr. Cho Hyun-sook is managing director for the Cyber Security Research Laboratory at Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute(ETRI) where she has worked developing information security technologies, and has had a key management mechanism and cryptographic algorithm for the past 31 years.
She is a board member for the Korea Institute of Communications and Information Science(KICS) and the Korea Institute of Information Security and Cryptology(KIISC). She has been formally recognized for her R&D efforts and received a presidential citation in April of 1997. She has also received numerous commendations, such as a science and technology medal from the Korean government, an achievement award from KICS, a technology prize from KIISC, and an achievement plaque from the CSO Association.
She has published more than 100 major journal and conference papers relevant to information security technologies and holds more than 50 patents. She is a co-author of Next-Generation Network Security Technology and an author of a special issue paper, Cyber Cold War: Present Situation and Future Task, She is also a co-author of Master Plan to Promote the Industry of Knowledge Information Security(Ministry of Knowledge Economy), which details the medium/long plans for Korea's information security technologies.
She has introduced a paradigm shift in information security in accordance with the ICT environment's change to the academic world. This paradigm shift involved establishing a secure environment within core technologies to strengthen social safety(i,e., countermeasure against cyber terrorism, disasters, and social crime) through security techniques. The aim isto solve pending national problems; to secure core technology; and to enhance competitiveness in the security industry.
She became a role model for Korean information security specialists while serving as the vice president of the Korean CSO Forum when she made great strides to improve the level of their positions and their treatment on the job.
"I have faced difficulties such as a lengthy time frame to develop a new technology and a negative view of the government based on the lack of R&BD budget, which prevents the implementation of innovative strategy to develop new technology. Despite these potential setbacks, I believed that a new paradigm was the only way to revitalize the security industry and I continuously worked to advance Korea's information security industry. I am so honored and excited to have been selected as this year's Community Service Star. Throughout my career, I vow to contribute my expertise to the community in any way possible."