Opening ceremony of Cyber Summit Korea 2024  (File Photo)

The ROK has made a series of moves in cyberspace recently: holding a cyber summit, co-hosting the international cyber defense exercise APEX (Allied Power Exercise) 2024 with NATO, and organizing a national cyberattack/defense competition. Among them, the first-ever exercise APEX 2024 is set against the background that multiple Pacific allies' key infrastructure is under cyberattack and being intimidated and blackmailed. About 70 cyberwarfare personnel from 24 countries, including the US, Italy, Japan and Singapore, participated in the exercise.

ROK's constantly enhanced cyber security cooperation with NATO, both in depth and breadth, will exert negative impacts on East Asia's security that must not be underestimated, said Liang Yongchun, a military observer.

"ROK is the first Asian country to join the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE) and has participated in several of NATO's cyberattack/defense drills, well on the way to becoming the organization's key node of cyberattack/defense in Asia. APEX 2024 is a critical step in NATO's Asian expansion on the battlefield of cyberspace, and ROK has been actively serving as a 'bridgehead' in this cyberwarfare, posing security threats to East Asia that are no less severe than those posed by its deployment of THAAD. This tendency calls for our close attention," said Liang.

In the first half of this year, ROK sent its service members to participate in NATO's Locked Shields 2024 exercise  and the Cyber Flag exercise hosted by US Cyber Command. It also joined hands with Japan, Australia and some other countries in forming a new consultation mechanism with NATO, aiming to intensify the cooperation in cybersecurity, countering disinformation, and emerging technologies.

According to Liang, Seoul's constant participation in international cybersecurity exercises recently satisfies the needs of itself, the US and NATO all at once. As for ROK, it has been hyping about the so-called cyber attacks by DPRK hackers in recent years, and President Yoon Suk-yeol  has been eager to approach NATO after he stepped into office.

For the US and NATO, ROK is critical for the cross-Pacific undersea cables to access the Asian continent. Controlling a key node like ROK would facilitate the US in hacking into the transmission system and stealing cyber secrets. There are other countries serving the same function in Asia such as Japan, the Philippines, and Singapore. They are all on the way of the cross-Pacific and cross-Indian Ocean undersea cables to China. "By roping in these countries, NATO will gain access to entries where it can launch cyberattacks against China. The recent cyber warfare exercise led by the US and undertaken by ROK involved the participation of those countries, which has obviously showcased their targets."

Yet, the ROK's actions won't get it the security it wishes for. Liang Yongchun analyzed that ROK and the US have different interests to take care of even in the field of the Internet.

"Under Yoon Suk-yeol's leadership, ROK is serving as a 'bridgehead' in America's highly aggressive Internet strategy, and a pivot of America's cyberattacks against third parties. This will only expose the country to greater risks of cyber attacks," he said.

ROK personnel participate in US-led joint military exercise (File Photo)

Editor's note: Originally published on military.cnr.cn, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.