Ambassador PAIK, Ji-ah
Director-General for International Organizations Bureau
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Republic of Korea

February 13 2012, Chiang Mai, Thailand
OSCE-Thailand Conference on Strengthening Security through Regional Cooperation :
The OSCE comprehensive Approach and Experiences of Asia Partners for Cooperation 
                                                               

"Cooperative Approaches in addressing challenges to cyber security”

(Introduction)

At the outset, I would like to express my gratitude to the Government of Thailand, our fellow Partner for Cooperation, for the outstanding arrangements of this conference, and for the warm hospitality extended to us. My appreciation also goes to Secretary General Lamberto Zannier and the OSCE Secretariat for their excellent cooperation in preparing this meeting.

In the last decades, we have sought ways to tackle transnational threats such as trafficking in human-beings and drugs that require cooperation among states, and we witnessed remarkable achievements. Now, we are facing rapidly emerging threats in cyberspace, where there is lack of norms and principles, and an imminent need to take measures to deal with them. Thus, I would like to draw your particular attention to the issue of cyber security in the presentation   today. Let me first touch upon opportunities and challenges in cyberspace and then, discuss several ways forward to keep it secure, safe, and reliable.

(Opportunities and Challenges of cyberspace)

Cyberspace - and the revolutionary technology that enables it - brings about enormous innovations and prosperity that we have not experienced before. The Internet and the Social Network Services have changed our daily lives in every imaginable manner, and the progress that they have shown us has been producing unprecedented opportunities and benefits for people in political, social, and economic terms. Last year's and ongoing waves in the Arab world, referred to as the ‘Arab Spring,' clearly showcase how digital technologies can strengthen and promote Democracy and empower the civil society. Activities on the Internet can also serve as a new economic engine for growth as new markets and jobs are created through e-commerce and market barrier is dramatically lowered with a more competence-based and efficiency-oriented economic environment.

However, all these benefits and opportunities which follow the innovative information technology are conditional: we can enjoy those advantages only when our interconnected digital network is kept secure, reliable, and safe. And our growing dependence on cyberspace is now presenting inexperienced challenges and vulnerabilities to cyber security.

Among a wide range of cyber-related challenges, including cyber crimes and terrorist use of the Internet, the two major challenges we encounter are, (1) a state or state-sponsored cyber attack that undermines national security, and (2) overregulation by governments that threatens the freedom of expression and free flow of information in cyberspace.

The most critical challenges we face in cyberspace are the ones related to national security in traditional terms. Due to its unique attributes such as anonymity and difficulty of attribution, cyberspace offers states a favorable avenue to disrupt others at a low cost without revealing their identities.

The case of Korea presents a notable example. Korea is a highly interconnected society, which ranks first among OECD member countries in internet accessibility with the percentage of households with broadband access standing at 96%. But this connectivity entails serious vulnerability to malicious attacks as well. Korea has been the target of a number of major cyber attacks, as seen in the massive DDoS attacks on government websites in 2009 and 2011, and last year's hacking into a national banking system which paralyzed hundreds of banking servers -- both presumably initiated by North Korea. Regarding cyber security threats as serious menaces to national security, the Korean government drafted the National Cyber Security Master Plan last August with the participation of fifteen governmental agencies.

Other challenges to cyber security can be triggered by government measures in cyberspace that restrain freedom of expression, free flow of information, and free investment and economic activities in cyberspace. Protecting intellectual property rights from online piracy, ensuring privacy on the Internet, punishing cyber crimes, and many other policy initiatives derived from the ramifications of information technologies now call for restrictions and regulations by the authorities. However, governmental efforts to overcome drawbacks of cyberspace may produce unintended results of curtailing fundamental freedom and rights. Furthermore, disproportionate measures on activities on the Internet could harm inter-connectivity and openness which constitute the basis for creativity and economic prosperity in cyberspace. In other words, the actions devised to ensure politico-military security could ironically pose threats to what we try to protect in the economic and human dimensions.

(Ways forward)

Let me briefly share some ideas on ways forward to addressing the challenges in cyberspace.

First of all, a balance needs to be sought between freedom and regulation in cyberspace. Cyberspace should be kept open and free, which is essential to promoting innovation and creativity, which leads to progress and development of the mankind. While freedom of expression, openness and competitiveness constitute the core feature of the digital space, regulation should also be applied to contain its adverse effects and bring in 'rule of law' in this constantly evolving world. However, any regulation should be kept at a necessary minimum to balance the need of regulation and its adverse effects. 

Second, all relevant stakeholders, including individual users of the Internet, businesses, academia and governments, should be able to participate in the global governance of cyberspace. The use of digital space should be duly managed and respected in all aspects -- political, economic, social, cultural and so on -- by an inclusive governing system that ensures an active role of both the private and public sectors.

Lastly, like other transnational threats, we need to take a cooperative and collaborative approach to address challenges we face in cyberspace and promote cyber security. A consolidated approach to this issue may include sharing best practices and lessons regarding each state's cyber security policies and incidence responses as well as cyber security capacity building. However, above all, establishing norms and principles pertaining to cyberspace is one of the most imminent tasks. Despite efforts in various international fora to address the lack of agreed norms in this newly emerging area, no major consensus has so far been reached due to various views on the concepts and different interests of countries. The current vacuum and ambiguity in terms of norms and principles only increases misperception and uncertainty among states. 

Last year's London Conference on Cyberspace served as a rare opportunity for all relevant stakeholders to engage in a variety of discussions on 'norms and principles for acceptable behaviors in cyberspace.' Following the Budapest cyberspace conference this year, Korea will host the 3rd Cyberspace Conference in 2013. Korea believes that the Conference will lay the foundation for discussions on the challenges we face in cyberspace in a more sustained and continuous manner.

(Conclusion)

In the annals of history, innovative technologies which have revolutionized the way we live have always come hand in hand with beneficial opportunities and daunting challenges. Faced with the double-edged sword, however, humanity has always sought out a way to take a full advantage of the technology through cooperative responses and so can we with cyberspace.

Taking this opportunity, I would like to welcome the commencement of discussions within the OSCE to address challenges to cyber security and to promote confidence building measures. I believe that OSCE's 30-year-long experience in confidence- and security-building will make a valuable asset to address the challenges in cyberspace and also to obtain "comprehensive security" in cyberspace both in the OSCE area and beyond.

The Republic of Korea, as a close Partner for Cooperation of the OSCE, will send full support for the Organization’s such endeavors and looks forward to further deepening cooperation between the OSCE and Partners for Co-operation in dealing with this new and emerging challenges we are facing together.

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