The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is looking to enhance information-sharing systems between itself and South Korea to bolster the security of both entities, according to the NATO Secretary General on Wednesday.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg informed reporters that NATO is seeking “better systems and methods for the exchange of information” between South Korea and its 32 member states. Stoltenberg emphasized that this initiative aims to enhance the overall security of both parties. The statement was made at the outset of the second day of the NATO summit held in Washington from July 9 to 11.
South Korea and the military alliance of European and North American countries have been collaborating to expand their intelligence-sharing network. South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol announced during his speech at last year’s NATO summit that South Korea would increase mutual sharing of military intelligence with the 32-member state organization. While the president did not disclose specific details of the exchanged information, local news outlets reported that the country aims to join NATO’s Battlefield Information Collection and Exploitation System (BICES), a confidential military intelligence network among NATO allies.
In addition to intelligence cooperation, the secretary-general highlighted potential collaboration in the defense industry, technology, and cyber domains. “We are exploring opportunities to enhance our cooperation, including expanding joint defense industry initiatives,” stated Stoltenberg. He emphasized South Korea’s advanced defense industry and the significant potential for increased collaboration in technology and cyber capabilities.
At last year’s summit, South Korea and NATO elevated their partnership by adopting the Individually Tailored Partnership Program (ITPP), focusing on cooperation in 11 sectors, including emerging technologies and cybersecurity.
Meanwhile, the leaders of NATO’s 32 member states issued a joint statement titled the “Washington Summit Declaration,” announcing plans to meet with leaders from South Korea, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the European Union. The discussions will focus on collective security challenges. The statement highlighted NATO’s commitment to enhancing practical cooperation with Indo-Pacific countries through flagship projects in areas such as cyber defense and countering disinformation.
Related article: South Korea joins NATO cyber defense exercise with Ireland
South Korea is poised to participate in the world’s largest live-fire cyber defense exercise, scheduled to span five days starting April 22. This marks the country’s fourth consecutive year of participation, during which it will collaborate with Ireland as a joint team.
On Monday, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) announced that South Korea will participate in the international cybersecurity defense exercise known as Locked Shields. The team will comprise approximately 80 individuals from 11 organizations, including the military, the Ministry of Unification, and the National Security Research Institute (NSR). South Korea has been involved in Locked Shields since 2021, with approximately 60 individuals from both the private and public sectors having participated in the cyber exercise last year.
Since 2010, Locked Shields has been held annually and organized by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence (CCDCOE), with the goal of strengthening defensive cooperation among member states. In this year’s cyber exercise, approximately 4000 experts from over 40 countries are anticipated to collaborate within a simulated environment, tasked with safeguarding the infrastructure of a fictional nation-state. The NATO cyber defense group stated that participants will encounter challenges mirroring the complexity of real-world cyber threats. READ MORE
