The National Cyber Security Association was officially launched on January 19 in a policy forum held at the Lawmakers' Hall of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul.
Some 150 lawmakers, high-ranking government officials, professors, CEOs and other guests representing the cyber security-related circle attended the forum, jointly organized by Rep. Joo Ho-young of the Bareun Party and the National Cyber Security Association.
Delivering a keynote speech, Joo Dae-joon, chairman of the association and former vice president of KAIST, said, "During the upcoming Presidential election, cyber attacks by North Korea and others are expected to be fiercer than ever. Accordingly, we should place the focus on effectively coping with possible cyber attacks following the Presidential election."
Noting that cyber security technology will become the core technology of the fourth industrial revolution and IoT (Internet of Things) era, Joo said, "If experts in the government, information protection industry, academies and business circles cooperate each other, the technology will be a driving force of the national economy, enabling Korea to surpass the 30,000 U.S. dollars in the per capita GDP (Gross Domestic Product)."
Meanwhile, Rep. Joo said in a welcoming address, "The size of North Korea's cyber warfare unit has reached the maximum 30,000 hackers, ranking third in the world, following the U.S. and China. As a result, this forum dealing with the importance of national cyber security is very important. I will also make strenuous efforts to reflect good ideas stemming from the policy forum to the national policy after in-depth discussions at the National Assembly."
Second Vice Minister Choi Jae-yu of the Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning also said at the forum, "To strengthen cyber security from the dimension of national security, the government will carry out the 'national cyber security R&D plan' prepared by government agencies concerned, including the Ministry of Defense and National Agency, this year. Along with this, it will map out a cyber security countermeasure in preparation for the intelligence information society."
While explaining the core purpose of the forum, Prof. Park Soon-mo of Dongguk University said, " The National Cyber Security Association should effectively cope with the fourth industrial revolution and the intelligence information society in close cooperation with relevant agencies and institutions under the belief that cyber security is national power to keep the people's security and life."
