Cyber attack hits South Korea websites

South Korea has issued a cyber alert after an apparent hacking attack on government websites.

The website of the presidential office was one of several official and media sites hit by an apparently co-ordinated attack on Tuesday morning, reports said.

The identity of the hackers was not know, a government statement said.

The incident came on the anniversary of the start of the 1950-53 Korean War, which divided the Korean peninsula, The BBC reports.

"The government can confirm a cyber attack by unidentified hackers that shut down several sites including the Blue House," the Science Ministry said in a statement, referring to the presidential office.

On 20 March, cyber attacks on six South Korean banks and broadcasters affected 32,000 computers and disrupted banking services.

South Korea has blamed that incident - which came at a time of heightened tensions between the two Koreas following Pyongyang's nuclear test on 12 February - on North Korea.