South Korea’s spy agency became the first in Asia to join NATO’s Cyber Defense Group on Thursday. This move brings a pathway into how the country is getting closer NATO amid rising tensions with China. The cyber defense group was founded in Tallinn in 2008 in response to a cyberattack that disrupted Estonia’s state networks. It focuses on cyber security research, training, and exercises. The NIS (of South Korea) applied to join in 2019 and has taken part in the 2 most recent locked shield exercises, the worlds largest cyber defense exercise.
This article is important because it signals the oncoming switch in future warfare. Future warfare wont be fought with guns, but rather, computer mice. “Cyber threats are causing great damage to not only individuals but also separate nations and also transnationally, so close international cooperation is crucial,” the NIS said. Although South Korea is home to to LG and Samsung, some of the worlds leading technology businesses, South Korea only launched its National Cybersecurity strategy in 2018.
According to the Korea Institute of Liberal Democracy in Seoul, a group of spies are involved in fraud, blackmail, and internet gambling, generating around $860 million annually. China is the source of many attacks. There is also a probability that South Korea’s move may enrage Russia besides China. South Koreas move to join the group appears to represent a sharpening unification amid the rising threats from Moscow and Beijing, which backs Putins military aggression. Amid the Ukraine crisis, North Korea had ramped up its nuclear missile testing. This might be another reason why South Korea wants to strengthen its defense and relationship with global superpowers. Whether the developments in Ukraine encouraged NATO to approve South Korea’s membership is unknown. What we do know is, This action will undoubtedly help South Korea improve relations with NATO and the countries around it.