Rural Development Administration adds staff to counter cyber risks

The Rural Development Administration said Friday it will increase its general staff by one to strengthen defenses against cyberattacks and personal data leaks.

Under a presidential decree signed on August 28, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety will lead a comprehensive revision of 36 laws to bolster dedicated information protection units across the public sector. The changes took effect immediately.

The administration's total headcount will rise from 345 to 346, with the new position filled by a Grade 6 official tasked with personal information protection duties.

The government cited the deepening integration of artificial intelligence, the spread of cloud computing, and the shift toward a platform economy as drivers for the move, noting these factors have increased the volume of high-risk personal data processing.

"We are revising 36 statutes including our own to swiftly respond to personal data leaks and cyber-intrusion risks facing government information systems," the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said in the reasoning for the decree.