SEOUL — South Korea’s Cyber Operations Command is set to enhance its cyber defense capabilities by participating in a U.S.-led multinational cyber exercise this week, the Seoul defense ministry announced on Sunday. This initiative comes as a response to escalating cyber threats, particularly from North Korea.
According to Yonhap News Agency, nine South Korean military personnel will travel to Virginia, USA, to partake in the Cyber Flag exercise, which runs from Sunday through Saturday. This training aims to sharpen skills in multinational cooperation for countering cyber threats and to facilitate the sharing of intelligence on adversaries’ cyber activities. Since its inception in 2011 by the U.S. Cyber Command, the annual exercise has been pivotal in bolstering the cyber readiness of the U.S., its allies, and partner nations against online security threats. This year’s exercise will include 18 countries, among them members of the “Five Eyes” intelligence alliance—comprising the U.S., Britain, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand—and other partners, marking South Korea’s third participation since 2022.