JeongKyun Park, Information Security Student And Independent Developer, Korea Cyber University

JeongKyun Park previously served in the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) of the Republic of Korea Navy. After his service, he worked as a full-stack developer for about four years, focusing on public and corporate projects. He is currently leveraging his development background to transition his career into becoming a digital forensics and incident response (IR) expert. Please introduce yourself and explain how you became interested in digital forensics. My fascination with incident response was first ignited during my service in the Republic of Korea Navy CERT, where I discovered the thrill of analyzing logs to establish causal relationships. Even while working as a full-stack developer for four years, I found more fulfillment in tracing the root causes of system errors than in simply building new features. To me, uncovering the truth through system traces feels like solving a complex puzzle. This passion for analysis is what led me to pursue digital forensics. After years of balancing professional work with academic study, I am now eager to leverage my development background to contribute as a digital forensics and incident response (IR) expert. What motivated you to create the ICE-Forensic tool? The inspiration for ICE-Forensic came from a very practical need during my military service. I found it quite tedious to reinstall analysis tools every time I tried to solve CTF challenges at public internet cafes while on leave. Get The Latest DFIR News Join the Forensic Focus newsletter for the best DFIR articles in your inbox every month. Unsubscribe any time. We respect your privacy - read our privacy policy. Around that time, I was deeply inspired by seeing HexEd.it, a browser-based hex editor that runs seamlessly in a web environment. It was a revelation for me. I wondered: if such a sophisticated hex editor could work in a browser, why not an entire digital forensics platform? I became fascinated by the idea of creating a ‘zero-installation’ environment accessible to anyone. Since I had little development experience at that time, I wasn’t fully aware of the technical constraints of browsers. However, that lack of knowledge actually gave me the courage to explore the boundaries of web-based forensics. Inspired by the excellence of HexEd.it, I started by developing a simple hex viewer and basic image analysis features, simply to see if it was possible to perform byte-level analysis directly in a browser. What are the main features of ICE-Forensic and how do you see investigators using it? At present, ICE-Forensic offers fundamental features such as a hex viewer, image metadata analysis, search, and hash calculations. As a solo project developed primarily for research and learning, I recognize it does not yet match the rigorous standards of reliability and performance required by the professional-grade tools used in critical investigations. Rather than a substitute for professional software, I view ICE-Forensic as a personal exploration into the potential of web-based forensics. I would be deeply gratified if it could serve as a lightweight reference in niche situations where specialized equipment is temporarily unavailable. Ultimately, I hope it can be used as a simple educational aid, allowing beginners to explore basic forensic concepts directly in their browser without the burden of a complex setup. What are your plans for the future development of ICE-Forensic? My immediate focus is on refining features that enhance user convenience. I plan to expand multi-language support and introduce options like dark mode and customizable settings to ensure a seamless experience for all users. Technically, I aim to further enhance the image analysis engine. While it currently focuses on basic metadata like EXIF and IHDR, I want to deepen its capabilities to parse more intricate structures across various file formats. If possible, I eventually hope to carefully explore more advanced areas, such as browser history or disk image analysis. My ultimate aspiration is to replicate some of the core functionalities found in esteemed tools like HxD or FTK Imager within a web browser. I am acutely aware of the significant constraints inherent in the web environment. However, by continuing to learn and leveraging AI, I hope to gradually challenge those limits. My goal is to eventually prove that web-based forensics can offer meaningful support and value to the community. What impact do you think AI will have on digital forensics? I believe AI can serve as a supportive assistant in digital forensics, helping investigators make more informed decisions. As datasets grow exponentially, manually tracing every piece of evidence has become an incredibly time-consuming task. AI can play a meaningful role by categorizing patterns and detecting anomalies within vast logs, providing a foundation that allows investigators to focus on the most critical judgments. In fact, while working on this project with my limited experience, I received immense help from AI. Even the translation of this very response is being done with the help of AI. While the shifting nature of professional roles due to technological progress can feel uncertain at times, I would be deeply grateful if AI can enhance efficiency and alleviate even a small portion of the heavy burden carried by those in the field. Even if technology advances to the point where my own role diminishes in the distant future, I believe its purpose is fulfilled if it helps us identify someone’s suffering a bit faster and contributes to uncovering the truth. Since the ultimate goal is ‘helping people,’ I want to continue learning and embracing AI with a humble and responsible heart, growing alongside the technology. What digital forensics career paths are available in South Korea? As a student preparing for a career in this field, I observe that forensic career paths in Korea are highly specialized across both public and private sectors. In the public sector, the Korean National Police Agency remains central. Following recent judicial reforms, the roles of the Police and the Prosecution Service are expected to become more specialized in criminal investigations. Institutions like KISA, FSS, and BAI also utilize forensics in their domains. In the private sector, major law and accounting firms, along with security leaders like AhnLab, serve as pivotal pillars of the market. On a separate note, seeing recent cases in Korea where investigations hit a wall due to decryption failures, I have personally reflected on the necessity of a framework like the UK’s RIPA. While protecting defense rights is a vital value, even from my perspective as a student, I sincerely hope for institutional support that could alleviate the immense burden on the investigators who work tirelessly day and night. I cautiously look forward to an environment that can better support those dedicated to investigative efficiency and the pursuit of truth. And finally, what do you enjoy in your spare time? In my spare time, I mostly enjoy taking walks with my beloved dog and my family. I enjoy outdoor running and calisthenics, especially pull-ups. Additionally, I practice Judo regularly as I hope to one day serve in a law enforcement agency like the police. Since I have spent long hours sitting at a desk throughout my career, running outdoors has become a vital habit for maintaining both my health and mental discipline. Whenever I feel stuck with a coding problem, a vigorous outdoor run helps clear my head and provides me with the fresh energy I need to tackle challenges again. The deep contemplation it allows while running outdoors helps organize my thoughts and often sparks creative new ideas.