Korea-US-Japan "North Korea's Cyber Activities Sophisticated... Joint Effort to Identify Behind-the-Scenes"

Kim Tae-hyo, First Deputy Director of the National Security Office (left), and Wang Yoon-jong, Third Deputy Director, attended the appointment ceremony of the new Chief of the Presidential Security Service at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in Seoul on the 9th, and were conversing before the event began. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The governments of South Korea, the United States, and Japan have agreed that North Korea's malicious cyber activities are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and they will work together to identify those behind these cyber activities, the Presidential Office announced on the 30th.

According to the Presidential Office, the governments of South Korea, the United States, and Japan held a high-level cybersecurity video conference on the 27th. The meeting was attended by Wang Yoon-jong, Third Deputy Director of the National Security Office of South Korea; Anne Neuberger, Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technologies at the U.S. National Security Council; and Keiichi Ichikawa, Deputy Director of the National Security Secretariat of Japan, as representatives.

During the meeting, the representatives of the three countries assessed that North Korea's illegal cyber activities, which fund its weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs, are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with virtual asset exchanges worldwide, including those in South Korea, the U.S., and Japan, being major targets.

They agreed that to strengthen deterrence against North Korea's illegal cyber activities and effectively send messages to virtual asset service providers and others who may be potential targets, like-minded countries including South Korea, the U.S., and Japan will jointly pursue identifying those behind these activities and actively implement other necessary measures.

In particular, autonomous measures and roles of like-minded countries are increasingly important to block North Korea's illegal cyber activities and sanction evasion, and the three countries reaffirmed their commitment to continue the best possible cooperation to maximize related effects.

The National Security Office stated, "Since last August, we have been exploring multifaceted measures, including strengthening cybersecurity cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan, to effectively implement the Camp David Agreement," adding, "Through this, we expect a reduction in potential security threats in cyberspace worldwide, including from North Korea."