Korea-EU Cooperate to Establish a 'Safe and Open Cyber Order'

Strengthening Cooperation Against Cyber Threats from North Korea

Korea and the European Union (EU) have agreed to cooperate in response to cyber threats from North Korea. They discussed ways to establish a safe and open cyberspace order through various international organizations and agreements for cybersecurity, which is emerging as an independent field of national security.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 20th, Korean and EU officials held the 7th Korea-EU Cyber Policy Consultation at the annex of the Government Complex Seoul to exchange information and discuss cooperation measures in response to North Korea's cyber threats. Yoon Jong-kwon, Director-General for International Security Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Maciej Stachowiak, Director for Security and Defense Policy at the European External Action Service (EEAS), served as chief representatives. The consultation included not only the Ministry of Foreign Affairs but also the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) of the National Intelligence Service, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, the National Police Agency, and the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA), while the EU was represented by officials from the EEAS and the European Commission (EC) responsible for cybersecurity.

The consultation was held for the first time in five years since the 6th Korea-EU Cyber Policy Consultation, which was conducted virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. They shared policy trends and response systems to address the rapidly changing global cybersecurity environment and discussed ways to enhance continuous cooperation in the cyber field based on the Korea-EU security and defense partnership.

They identified threat types by major actors, such as North Korea's cryptocurrency theft, and agreed on the need for close cooperation to counter threats. They also agreed to strengthen mutual cooperation on multilateral platforms such as the United Nations and to discuss reaching a final agreement at the 11th substantive meeting of the Information Security OEWG in July.

Both sides recognized that the cyber issue, which has established itself as an independent field in international security, is developing into an area encompassing various fields with technological advancement. They also agreed on the need for rapid information sharing and investigative cooperation, considering the transnational nature of cybercrime. They discussed ways to establish a 'peaceful, safe, and open cyberspace order' using the Budapest Convention and the UN Cybercrime Convention.

Meanwhile, both sides shared trends in cyber security discussions within other multilateral and regional organizations such as the Ransomware Initiative (CRI), the Paul Mall Process dealing with commercial spyware, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).

Reporter Hyun-il Lee hiuneal@hankyung.com