On Tuesday, the South Korean government formed a comprehensive council to enhance the resilience of the nation’s critical infrastructure amid escalating threats.
In a press release, the Office of the President announced that a meeting was held with various government agencies, leading to the creation of a pan-government security council aimed at safeguarding the nation’s critical infrastructure. Chaired by Wang Yun-jong, the third deputy director of national security, the meeting included representatives from eleven organizations, such as the National Intelligence Service, the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Environment.
The establishment of the council comes in response to heightened physical and virtual threats, underscoring the need for comprehensive protection measures. The presidential office stated, “The recent war between Russia and Ukraine and the conflict between Hamas and Israel demonstrate that physical threats have diversified with the use of devices such as drones and paragliders. Additionally, there is an increased attempt to attack in cyberspace.”
According to the statement, each government agency has been safeguarding its vital assets and systems against physical threats in cooperation with the country’s intelligence agency. Furthermore, the Committee for the Protection of Information and Communications Infrastructure, affiliated with the Office for Government Policy Coordination, has been responsible for mitigating electronic compromises.
The council will collectively oversee and secure infrastructures whose destruction or compromise could have severe consequences for national security and public safety. It will identify critical infrastructures across ten sectors, including government facilities, water systems, transportation, energy, information and communication, aviation, and maritime. Regular reports on these protection activities will be submitted to South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol.
Additionally, the council intends to broaden its scope by initiating cooperative measures with allied countries at the international level. The presidential office highlighted the efforts of the United States and Japan in securing their national infrastructures. Just last month, the White House signed a new national security memorandum focusing on critical infrastructure security and resilience.
