NIS to build international-scale cyber education and training infrastructure

2024.07.17. The Fair Economy — The National Intelligence Service (NIS) on the 17th unveiled detailed plans to build dedicated infrastructure, including an international-scale cyber training facility, to enhance capabilities to respond to cyber threats.

This is a follow-up measure to President Yoon Suk-yeol's statement at last year's NATO summit, where he said, "We will establish an international cyber training center in the Republic of Korea and conduct international training to secure the Republic of Korea's status as a leading cyber security nation in the Indo-Pacific region."

The 'K-Cyber Training Center,' scheduled for completion by the end of 2026, will be built in Daejeon with a total floor area of about 10,000 square meters. It will feature next-generation cyber training grounds for artificial intelligence and autonomous driving, a cybersecurity education hall, and an international training ground designed as a convention hall.

Once completed, the facility will enable simultaneous training for up to 400 people and education for more than 3,000 experts annually, expected to contribute to solidifying South Korea's status as a leading cybersecurity nation.

Meanwhile, in September, the first international cyber exercise led by South Korea, 'APEX 2024 (Allied Power EXercise 2024),' is also scheduled to take place.

The exercise, to be held from September 10 to 12 at COEX in Seoul, will see participation of cybersecurity experts from about 20 countries in the NATO and Indo-Pacific regions, including the United States, Japan, and Singapore.

The exercise name 'APEX' is the English acronym for Allied Power EXercise, and also means 'apex' (the highest point). The NIS explained that the name "embodies the resolve to aim for the region's best cyber exercise."

Unlike existing international cyber exercises, which are competitive among participating countries, this exercise will focus on crisis response through information sharing and cooperation between nations.

Yoon O-jun, third deputy director of the NIS, said, "Through an international-scale cyber training center and world-class international joint cyber exercises, we will deepen cooperation with NATO and Indo-Pacific countries to strengthen our joint response capabilities to global cybersecurity issues."