US, South Korean officials explore cybersecurity collaboration in face of rising NK threat

On July 26, senior officials from South Korea met with a US deputy national security adviser for consultations and to examine ways to work together on cutting-edge technology and cybersecurity. According to the South Korean Foreign Ministry, second Deputy Foreign Minister Lee Do-hoon, US Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technology Anne Neuberger, and South Korean Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Kim Gunn met on Tuesday in Seoul.

In response to the cyber threat posed by North Korea, they decided to maintain close bilateral contact and engagement with the international community, the ministry said in a statement. Neuberger and Lee Do-hoon have also discussed the US-South Korean partnership in the sphere of cutting-edge technology and their ethical growth, according to the released statement.

South Korean Foreign Ministry's statement read, "The parties decided to enhance cooperation for responsible development and application of technologies, as well as to discuss the elaboration of regulatory norms in a multilateral format, exchange views on the impact of the use and development of emerging and key technologies on world peace and national security."

Through the cyber working group and other bilateral organisations to increase cybersecurity capabilities, notably in developing countries, the parties have also committed to intensifying their collaboration in cyberspace law enforcement and investigation.

US, South Korea to hold talks over security of Korean Peninsula

Further, the South Korean and US defence officials are slated to meet on July 29 to discuss security on the Korean Peninsula and deterrence against escalating North Korean threats. According to the South Korean Defense Ministry, Minister Lee Jong-sup will meet with his US counterpart Lloyd Austin in Washington as the two countries step up security coordination in the wake of North Korea's likely nuclear test.

According to the ministry, this will be their second in-person meeting, following their first discussions on the margins of the Shangri-La Dialogue, an international security gathering held in Singapore in June. Furthermore, the two sides want to discuss the deployment of US strategic military assets to South Korea, which was agreed upon in May during a summit between the two countries' presidents.

According to the Defence Ministry, Lee and Austin are also expected to make substantial progress in their efforts to relaunch the vice-ministerial Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group, which was discontinued in 2018. According to the ministry, the South, the United States, and Japan have been working together trilaterally to develop methods to address North Korea's ongoing provocations.