Korea Net Assessment 2022: Shoring Up South Korea’s National Security Apparatus

Summary

The report "Shoring Up South Korea's National Security Apparatus" by Chung Min Lee, published in December 2022, highlights the urgent need for South Korea to review and reform its national security apparatus in light of escalating security threats and vulnerabilities. Key concerns include:

1. North Korean Nuclear Threats: North Korea's accelerated nuclear weapons development poses significant risks, including the deployment of submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and the declaration of a new nuclear doctrine, challenging the international community's acceptance.

2. Chinese Military Modernization: China's rapid military buildup and modernization, particularly in the context of its economic rise, threatens South Korea's security, affecting U.S.-ROK forces and U.S. forces in Japan, as well as regional stability.

3. U.S.-China Strategic Competition: The intensifying rivalry between the US and China in military, economic, and technological domains exacerbates security concerns for South Korea.

4. Economic and Technology Security: The growing importance of economic security and the securitization of critical technologies necessitate the integration of economic intelligence into national security strategies.

5. Manpower Shortages and Modernization: Demographic shifts and the need for optimized technology-intensive modernization, coupled with enhanced warfighting capabilities, highlight critical manpower shortages in the armed forces.

6. Technology Firms' Role: The increasing significance of technology firms, including defense corporations, in AI-driven military modernization underscores their pivotal role in national security.

7. Political Polarization: Deepening political polarization within South Korea and the US impacts the efficacy of extended deterrence and complicates the building of a more bipartisan national security paradigm.

8. Regional and Global Challenges: South Korea faces regional contingencies like a potential military crisis in Taiwan and out-of-area threats, as well as rising opportunity costs due to political enmity and polarization.

9. Lack of Comprehensive Review: Despite the urgency, no South Korean government has ever conducted a bottom-up review of the national security system, despite past crises and provocations.

Recommendations

To address these challenges, the report recommends establishing a national security review commission that encompasses all facets of national security, focusing on:

• A whole-of-government approach integrating all critical elements of national security.
• Thorough assessment of mid- to longer-term intelligence requirements.
• Review of existing decision-making structures and reforms where necessary.
• Formation of an economic and technology security committee within the National Security Council.
• Creation of new channels for economic and technology intelligence cooperation with the private sector and government-funded research institutes.
• Enhanced cooperation between government and private sectors on intelligence matters, while respecting privacy and firewalls.
• Strengthened national security cooperation with key allies and partners globally, including ASEAN, Japan, Australia, NATO members, and major Middle Eastern partners.
• Publication of a national security strategy white paper within the first year of a new administration.