It appears that the South Korean military is considering a comprehensive ban on the iPhone over security issues. This decision has reportedly come following joint meetings by the army, navy, and air force headquarters.
If implemented, iPhones will be banned from all military headquarters as well as subordinate units. Android phones, specifically those made by local conglomerate Samsung, will continue to be used as normal.
Decision being made to prevent confidential information leaks
The ban stems from concerns about potential leaks of sensitive information through voice recordings, local media reports. A document that was released on the air force headquarter's internal network reportedly mentions clearly that “Bringing in iPhones will be completely prohibited.”
It's further mentioned that a review is ongoing to extend this ban to all subordinate units. The number of military personnel at the headquarters alone is estimated to be around 10,000. If the ban extends to all units, it would mean that nearly 500,000 military personnel will be banned from using the iPhone for their official communications.
The primary concern is not because the iPhone has some inherent security flaw, but that it doesn't comply with the restrictions imposed by the National Defense Mobile Security, a mobile device management app that military personnel are required to have on their devices.
When this app is activated, it restricts many features of the smartphone, such as the camera, Wi-Fi, microphone, tethering, and more. However with the exception of the camera, Apple doesn't allow third-party apps to control the iPhone's native features, so the app can't restrict the iPhone's USB, microphone, tethering, and other features.
This security app was released by the Ministry of National Defense in 2013 to reduce the possibility of confidential information being leaked from its headquarters. It was initially required only for officers and public officials working at the ministry but has since been extended to all military personnel.
Android places no such feature control restrictions which is why Samsung devices can be used as normal even as iPhones get banned. The iPhone ban is reportedly on a trial basis with a wider implementation expected within the next couple of months.
