The Ministry of Science and ICT announced on the 10th the release of the "2023 Information Security Disclosure Status Analysis Report" to promote corporate investment in information security and ensure users' access to information.
This report analyzed the 2023 information security disclosure status based on domestic companies (701 companies), including information security investment amounts, dedicated personnel, and year-over-year changes for companies that disclosed for two consecutive years (613 companies).
The top companies by industry for investment amount and dedicated personnel were the same as the previous year: Samsung Electronics in manufacturing (KRW 243.5 billion, 904.2 personnel), KT in information and communications (KRW 103.5 billion, 303.8 personnel), and Coupang in wholesale and retail (KRW 63.9 billion, 167.7 personnel).
The total information security investment of the analyzed companies was approximately KRW 1.8526 trillion, a 20.9% increase compared to the previous year (KRW 1.5319 trillion). The average investment per company was about KRW 2.6 billion, up 8.3% from KRW 2.4 billion the previous year.
Among these, the total information security investment of companies that disclosed for two consecutive years was approximately KRW 1.6968 trillion, a 14.4% increase from the previous year (KRW 1.4839 trillion). The average investment per company was about KRW 2.8 billion, KRW 200 million higher than the average of all disclosed companies, marking a 16.7% increase from KRW 2.4 billion the previous year.
The average information security investment by the seven major industries was highest in finance (KRW 6.9 billion), followed by information and communications (KRW 5.7 billion), and wholesale and retail (KRW 2.5 billion). Most of the top 10 companies by information security investment were in the information and communications or IT manufacturing sectors. The highest information security investments by major companies in each service sector were Naver in platforms with KRW 41.6 billion, KT among the three major telecom companies with KRW 103.5 billion, and Coupang in e-commerce with KRW 63.9 billion.
The total dedicated information security personnel among the analyzed companies was approximately 6,891.5, a 17.6% increase from 5,862 the previous year. The average dedicated personnel per company was about 9.83, up 8.6% from 9.05 the previous year. Among these, companies disclosing for two consecutive years had a total of approximately 6,240.2 dedicated personnel, with an average of about 10.18 per company, representing an 11.3% increase from the previous year (5,605.9 personnel, 9.15 average).
The average dedicated information security personnel by the seven major industries were highest in information and communications (23.35), followed by finance (17.41), and wholesale and retail (9.03). Most of the top 10 companies by dedicated personnel size were in the information and communications sector.
In addition to investment and dedicated personnel, various information security activities such as ransomware and hacking response training, awareness-raising activities, security certification acquisition, and insurance enrollment showed slight overall increases compared to the previous year. However, some industries such as manufacturing and construction maintained lower levels of information security activities compared to other sectors. The Ministry of Science and ICT noted that these industries require continuous attention and efforts from their chief information security officers and management.
The total information security investment (KRW 1.8526 trillion, up 20.9%) and dedicated personnel (6,891.5, up 17.6%) of all disclosed companies in 2023 increased compared to the previous year, indicating a growing awareness of the importance of information security amid rising cyberattack threats. Notably, the average investment (KRW 2.8 billion, up 16.7%) and dedicated personnel (10.18, up 11.3%) of companies disclosing for two consecutive years exceeded the averages of all 2023 disclosed companies (KRW 2.6 billion, up 8.3%; 9.83 personnel, up 8.6%), suggesting that continued disclosure encourages expanded corporate investment in information security.
Along with the release of this report, the comprehensive information security disclosure portal was improved to enhance user accessibility and utilization by providing a search function that allows users to compare information security investment amounts and dedicated personnel sizes of selected companies in real time.
Jung Chang-rim, Director of the Information Security Network Policy Division at the Ministry of Science and ICT, stated, “Despite being only the second year of the mandatory disclosure system, it has been stably established early on, and continued disclosure appears to lead to expanded investment. We hope this report will contribute to companies improving their information security capabilities independently and serve as foundational data for information security policy formulation across various fields.”
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