Contributed to Protecting Public Services and the Growth of the Information Security Industry

Contribution to the Protection of Public Services and the Growth of the Information Security Industry PIOLINK announced that CEO Cho Youngcheol received the Minister of the Interior and Safety Commendation at the 31st Information and Communication Network Information Security Conference (NetSec-KR 2025) held at COEX on the 17th, in recognition of his contribution to the growth of Korea's information security industry. 

This event is hosted by the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) and organized by the Korea Institute of Information Security and Cryptology (KIISC). 

CEO Cho Youngcheol participated in the founding of PIOLINK in 2000 and, as the first head of the research center, led the development of network and security products, spearheading the commercialization of products based on domestic technology. 

In particular, he successfully designed, developed, and manufactured Korea’s first Application Delivery Controller (ADC), which ensures the stability of IT infrastructure and the performance and security of applications, achieving localization.The ADC now holds approximately a 40% market share, ranking first domestically.

In addition, he developed a Web Application Firewall (WAF/WAAP) with proprietary technology to protect the information assets of public institutions and enterprises from sophisticated web hacking attacks. 

Since 2015, PIOLINK has expanded its security business by providing Security Operation Center (SOC) services that support clients’ actual security operations, as well as Security Consulting Services that assist with the establishment and certification of Information Security Management Systems (ISMS). 

PIOLINK’s products and services play an essential role in enabling major organizations, including the National Information Resources Management Institute, to deliver public services quickly and securely. To date, PIOLINK has supplied network security solutions to approximately 7,000 public sector, financial, and corporate customers in Korea, and provided security services to about 500 institutions and enterprises. 

Since 2024, as President of the Korea Information Security Industry Association (KISIA), Cho has actively proposed improvements to laws and systems related to the information security industry to the government, reflecting industry voices in policymaking, and has led initiatives to expand domestic demand and vitalize the ecosystem. 

He has also contributed to the development of the information security industry through activities such as industry-academia-research cooperation, talent cultivation, and raising security awareness. 

In his acceptance speech, CEO Cho said, “This award is an achievement we, the employees of PIOLINK, have made together through 25 years of effort to protect the nation and society with our technology,” and added, “We will continue to work toward technological innovation and talent development to contribute to the growth of the domestic information security industry and to create a safer digital world.”