Cyber War and Policy Suggestions for South Korean Planners

This paper aims to answer fundamental questions on cyber warfare. Conflicting perspectives regarding cyber war are introduced, and the critical issues of cyber deterrence and cyber security strategy are discussed. Then, they are followed by an assessment of North Korea’s cyber warfare capabilities, which are main security concerns in South Korea. Finally, the authors will suggest the future direction of cyber war preparations for the South Korean Armed Forces. The authors argue that currently, the most viable agenda is focusing on defensive measures and using non-military assets, initiating cooperation with other domestic instruments or enhancing cooperation with other nations. This is attributed to the fact that kinetic countermeasures against North Korea’s cyber attacks will not be effective from the perspective of the military’s costeffective analysis. Moreover, it may trigger an all-out war. Indeed, the use of armed forces against cyber attacks is still a controversial issue in the international community.