US bolsters Japan-South Korea trilateral cyber cooperation

Deputy NSA Anne Neuberger's Seoul visit advances US-Japan-South Korea cyber cooperation against shared threats from North Korea, China, and Russia, though historical tensions complicate bilateral ties.

The United States is strengthening trilateral cybersecurity cooperation with Japan and South Korea to address shared threats from state-sponsored actors and cybercriminals. Deputy National Security Advisor Anne Neuberger concluded a three-day visit to South Korea in July 2022 aimed at bolstering cyber cooperation with Seoul's new government. South Korea joined NATO's Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in May 2022, following Japan's membership since 2018, signaling deeper integration into Western cyber defense structures.

Experts identify North Korean cybercrime—particularly cryptocurrency theft and extortion—as the most pressing joint threat, with the regime allegedly stealing $400 million in cryptocurrency in 2021 to fund weapons programs. Chinese cyberespionage targeting all three nations' public and private sectors, along with ransomware groups and other non-state actors, also warrant coordinated responses. US Cyber Command's "Hunt Forward" operations in the Indo-Pacific could enhance regional defense but require careful diplomatic coordination to avoid misunderstandings during crises.

Historical tensions between Japan and South Korea complicate bilateral cooperation, even as both face common adversaries. China's economic leverage over both countries and its use of coercion—such as responses to THAAD deployment—creates hesitation around publicized trilateral initiatives. Experts recommend the US facilitate cooperation through people-to-people exchanges, intelligence sharing frameworks like GSOMIA normalization, and focused collaboration on constrained issues like cryptocurrency-based cybercrime and capacity building with ASEAN partners.

Source reporting: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/content-series/the-5x5/the-5x5-the-us-japan-south-korea-trilateral-cybersecurity-relationship