This file photo taken on March 10, 2023, shows Busan Port in the southeastern port city of Busan. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, March 16 (Korea Bizwire) — Chinese tower cranes suspected of being used as spying tools in the United States are widely used in South Korean ports, a ruling party lawmaker said Thursday, as he called for a thorough investigation into the potential security risks.
Rep. An Byung-gil of the ruling People Power Party said 427 out of the 809 cranes installed at 10 major ports in South Korea were made by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co. (ZPMC), citing data provided by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.
He said 298 of 538 cranes at the country’s largest Busan Port were made by ZPMC while 21 of 28 cranes in Pyeongtaek, a city that is home to Camp Humphreys, were made by the Chinese company.
Camp Humphreys, the largest overseas U.S. military installation in the world, is home to the 28,500-strong U.S. troops.
“South Korea is no exception when it comes to security risks posed by the Chinese cranes,” the lawmaker said. “We need to carry out security inspections on all cranes at local ports.”
An’s comments came amid security concerns in the U.S. over the Chinese cranes, which U.S. officials compared to Trojan horses as they are equipped with sensors that can track the origin and destination of cargoes.
(Yonhap)
