Anna Jiwon Park has been covering the politics at The Korea Times since the summer of 2024, when she joined the press pool for the Office of the President in Korea. Prior to that, she spent about five years reporting extensively on financial markets, regulatory authorities and the financial industry. She joined The Korea Times in 2019 after spending eight years as a broadcast journalist at Arirang TV, Korea’s leading global broadcaster, covering politics, defense and culture.
Yoon reaffirms Seoul's commitment to global cybersecurity cooperation
President Yoon Suk Yeol delivers a congratulatory address during the opening ceremony of Cyber Summit Korea 2024 at COEX in Gangnam District, Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap
By Anna J. Park
President stresses deepening security ties with NATO
President Yoon pledged Wednesday that South Korea will position itself as a global hub for international cyber training in the Indo-Pacific region, emphasizing that the country has long been at the forefront of cybersecurity, consistently strengthening its defenses against threats from hostile forces, including North Korea.
His remarks were part of a congratulatory message delivered at Cyber Summit Korea (CSK) 2024, the first edition of the annual forum, jointly hosted by the National Intelligence Service and the National Security Research Institute.
Under the theme of "Step ahead in AI, quantum, space era and global cybersecurity," the two-day event kicked off at COEX in southern Seoul on Wednesday, featuring various cybersecurity issues, including international cooperation on cyberthreats.
"South Korea has long been a stronghold in cybersecurity, developing its defense capabilities and security systems in response to cyberattacks from hostile forces, including North Korea. We will actively contribute to protecting humanity's safety and prosperity by sharing our capabilities and experiences with the world," President Yoon said during the congratulatory speech at the event, Wednesday.
Expressing his concerns that hacking organizations and cybercriminals backed by totalitarian states are exploiting advanced cybertechnologies to carry out sophisticated and diverse forms of attacks, President Yoon highlighted that cyberthreats are not the problem of a single nation, due to the nature of cyberspace, which is hyperconnected and transcends physical borders.
"Countries around the world are shifting towards 'active cybersecurity' based on international solidarity. South Korea also announced its national cybersecurity strategy in February this year, enhancing its proactive defense capabilities to respond preemptively to cyberthreats, and is making concerted efforts to collaborate internationally against transnational cyberthreats," he stressed.
President Yoon Suk Yeol delivers a congratulatory address during the opening ceremony of Cyber Summit Korea 2024 at COEX in Gangnam District, Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap
President Yoon said he hopes the CSK will develop into a dynamic platform for dialogue and collaboration, bringing together leading experts from around the world to tackle future challenges and strengthen cybersecurity infrastructure.
At the event, National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Cho Tae-yong also echoed the same hope for the event.
"South Korea has been continuously enhancing its cybersecurity capabilities since establishing the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) in 2004. As cooperation with allied nations is particularly crucial for cybersecurity, we hope that this event serves as a platform for sharing evolving cybersecurity experiences and solutions," the NIS chief said.
Wednesday's opening ceremony was attended by about 70 officials from 17 foreign countries including diplomats stationed in Seoul.
President Yoon Suk Yeol talks with Mart Noorma, director of the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE), during the Allied Power Exercise (APEX) held at COEX in southern Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of presidential office
On the sidelines of the event, President Yoon visited exhibitions showcasing advanced technology and cybersecurity companies, encouraging the participants.
He notably observed the Allied Power Exercise (APEX) led by South Korea, a multinational cyber defense initiative that he committed to during the last NATO summit in Washington in July.
An official from APEX explained that Wednesday's exercise simulates attacks from adversarial nations, with participants from 24 countries, including NATO members and nations from the Indo-Pacific region, responding to the scenarios. Following the exercise, the participants will share information to boost the capabilities of all involved.
After observing the exercise, Mart Noorma, director of the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE), expressed his respect for President Yoon's leadership in strengthening cooperation between NATO and the Asia-Pacific region. In response, President Yoon said that South Korea plans to deepen its cooperation with NATO and reaffirmed his commitment to enhancing cybersecurity collaboration with the alliance.