The Air Force fears for national security due to Apple's strict policy.
The South Korean armed forces plan to introduce a complete ban on the use of iPhones in military institutions. The main reason for such measures is the risk of leakage of confidential information through voice recordings. This was reported by military sources who wished to remain anonymous.
On April 11, the Air Force leadership, via an internal network, announced the introduction of a ban from June 1 on any devices capable of recording audio that do not allow third-party applications to control their functions. It is noteworthy that it is Apple devices that fall under the ban, while Android-based smartphones, in particular from Samsung Electronics, will not be subject to restrictions.
The possibility of extending the ban to all divisions is also being considered. The army has already tested such measures in April of this year. According to the documents, the ban will apply to all types of smart watches and wearable devices. In total, if the ban is extended to all units, it will affect almost 500,000 military personnel.
Note that Apple devices do not meet national security requirements, because they do not allow external applications to control their main functions, except for the camera. This mechanism is related to Apple's policy of protecting users privacy.
It is assumed that the main reason for the ban was the difficulty of adapting the specialized National Defense Mobile Security application for iOS (mandatory for all smartphones of military personnel since 2013), which blocks the functions of the camera, Wi-Fi, modem, USB and microphone when activated. On Android devices, such restrictions are easily configured due to the open system architecture. And iOS doesn't allow deep modifications to system functions.
In addition, the app has previously been criticized for being unreliable and vulnerable, and has also faced condemnation from the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, which considers its use to be an unnecessary violation of human rights.
It is worth noting that South Korean mobile operator SK Telecom recently introduced a call recording feature for iPhone via the A-Dot app in September 2023. In South Korea, it is legal to record phone conversations, but possible privacy violations can lead to legal consequences.
The Air Force's decision may also widen the gap between Android and iPhone users, especially as the Korean Ministry of National Defense is considering extending the time that soldiers are allowed to use smartphones.
The South Korean armed forces plan to introduce a complete ban on the use of iPhones in military institutions. The main reason for such measures is the risk of leakage of confidential information through voice recordings. This was reported by military sources who wished to remain anonymous.
On April 11, the Air Force leadership, via an internal network, announced the introduction of a ban from June 1 on any devices capable of recording audio that do not allow third-party applications to control their functions. It is noteworthy that it is Apple devices that fall under the ban, while Android-based smartphones, in particular from Samsung Electronics, will not be subject to restrictions.
The possibility of extending the ban to all divisions is also being considered. The army has already tested such measures in April of this year. According to the documents, the ban will apply to all types of smart watches and wearable devices. In total, if the ban is extended to all units, it will affect almost 500,000 military personnel.
Note that Apple devices do not meet national security requirements, because they do not allow external applications to control their main functions, except for the camera. This mechanism is related to Apple's policy of protecting users privacy.
It is assumed that the main reason for the ban was the difficulty of adapting the specialized National Defense Mobile Security application for iOS (mandatory for all smartphones of military personnel since 2013), which blocks the functions of the camera, Wi-Fi, modem, USB and microphone when activated. On Android devices, such restrictions are easily configured due to the open system architecture. And iOS doesn't allow deep modifications to system functions.
In addition, the app has previously been criticized for being unreliable and vulnerable, and has also faced condemnation from the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, which considers its use to be an unnecessary violation of human rights.
It is worth noting that South Korean mobile operator SK Telecom recently introduced a call recording feature for iPhone via the A-Dot app in September 2023. In South Korea, it is legal to record phone conversations, but possible privacy violations can lead to legal consequences.
The Air Force's decision may also widen the gap between Android and iPhone users, especially as the Korean Ministry of National Defense is considering extending the time that soldiers are allowed to use smartphones.
