By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young
President Yoon Suk-yeol attended the Cyber Summit Korea (CSK) 2024, an international cybersecurity event, at COEX in Seoul on Sept. 11, encouraging government officials and business and academic experts from around the world.
The event, which is being held for the first time this year, is co-hosted by the National Intelligence Service and the National Security Technology Institute and will continue until Sept. 12, and will discuss various cybersecurity issues, including how to cooperate with the international community against cyber threats, under the theme of 'AI, Quantum, Space Age, and Global Cybersecurity'.
In his congratulatory remarks, the President said that cyberspace has become the core infrastructure of the nation in the era of the digital revolution, and as the benefits grow, so do the challenges and threats.
In particular, hacking organizations and cybercriminals, including those behind totalitarian states, are exploiting advanced cyber technologies to conduct more diverse and sophisticated attacks, the President said, noting that such cyberattacks can severely threaten national security and even the safety of its citizens if they cripple critical infrastructure.
Noting that cyber threats are not the sole concern of any one country, the President said that countries around the world are shifting to “proactive cybersecurity” based on international solidarity, and that South Korea has been focusing on cyber cooperation with friendly countries, including the release of the National Cybersecurity Strategy in February and the adoption of the Cybersecurity Cooperation Framework last year, which extends the U.S.-ROK alliance into cyberspace.
The President also said that South Korea has long been a cybersecurity powerhouse that has continuously developed its defense capabilities and security system in response to cyberattacks by hostile forces, including North Korea, and that today's event will establish the country's international status as an “international cyber training hub” representing the Indo-Pacific region.
The President went on to present the government's policy direction, stating that the government is drastically improving the government computer network security policy and password usage policy to meet global standards so that public data can be utilized quickly and widely in the era of hyper-connected AI.
In conclusion, the President said that he looks forward to CSK becoming a place of active communication and cooperation where the best experts representing each country can put their heads together to overcome the challenges ahead of us and build stronger cybersecurity.
After the opening ceremony, the President stopped by an exhibition hall to promote high-tech and cybersecurity companies to listen to briefings and encourage them. The President then watched a demonstration of the National Intelligence Service's cyber attack detection and response process and praised the efforts of practitioners working to protect cybersecurity.
In particular, the President visited the first international cyber exercise led by South Korea (APEX), which he promised at the NATO Summit in Washington last July, and encouraged those involved.
An international information exchange meeting was held on September 10 as a preliminary event, and the opening ceremony of the CSK will mark the official launch of Cyber Partners, a public-private cybersecurity cooperation involving 20 organizations and 102 companies, as well as various programs such as APEX, conferences, cyber attack defense competitions (CCE), and cybersecurity-related exhibitions until tomorrow, the closing day.
The event was attended by more than 70 representatives from overseas missions in Korea and overseas organizations from 17 countries, as well as more than 400 people from the National Assembly, including Information Committee Chairman Shin Sung-beom; Minister of Science, ICT and Future Planning Yoo Sang-im.
