China warns South Korea against joining NATO's cyber security centre -

Beijing: South Korea became the first Asian country to join NATO’s cyber security centre. South Korea claims that this will raise global cyber security standards. But China has retorted that Ukraine joining NATO could provoke a sense of insecurity in Russia. South Korea’s participation in NATO would create a sense of insecurity in neighbouring countries, China, Russia and North Korea, increasing unrest in the region, reported the Chinese mouthpiece. The mouthpiece said the move would create instability in the Indo-Pacific region.

Moreover, South Korea’s National Intelligence Agency (NIA) has announced South Korea’s inclusion in NATO’s cyber security centre. NATO has included South Korea in the Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE). China’s official mouthpiece has strongly criticized the NATO decision. ‘The attempts by South Korea to join NATO could turn countries in the region against China and Russia. It will also increase Western interference in regional geopolitical developments,’ the Global Times warned.

The decision to include South Korea in NATO’s cyber security centre is a big part of the US plan, said Song Zhongping, a senior military analyst in China. ‘If the United States wants to win or was a direct war against China or Russia to establish dominance, it needs to obtain confidential information about both countries.’ Therefore, South Korea’s participation in NATO is part of the US plan, said Zhongping. South Korea’s newly elected President, Yoon Suk-yeol, is also keen to boost military cooperation with the United States, Zhongping cited.

In such a scenario, if South Korea joins the NATO military centre or increases its cooperation with NATO, it will only make South Korea more insecure, Chinese military analysts have warned. ‘South Korea’s security can only be guaranteed if South Korea establishes friendship and trust with its neighbours,’ Zhongping said. For this, Chinese military analysts cited European countries participating in NATO.

‘Most European countries participating in NATO are currently facing some crisis. The resources of these countries are limited. In such a scenario, NATO’s expansion into Asian countries would only benefit some countries, such as the United Kingdom,’ Zhongping claimed.