Henna Virkkunen, the European Fee’s govt vp for know-how sovereignty, safety and democracy, speaks throughout an interview with The Korea Instances in Seoul, Nov. 27. Courtesy of EU Delegation Workplace in Seoul
The European Fee’s govt vp for know-how sovereignty, safety and democracy has warned that democracies are dealing with “fixed hybrid assaults” from international actors and known as for nearer cooperation with Korea to counter cyberthreats, misinformation and on-line manipulation.
Henna Virkkunen’s remarks come as Korea faces a rising debate over international affect on-line, following an replace by X — previously Twitter — that started displaying customers’ entry areas. The replace revealed that a number of high-volume political accounts supportive of President Lee Jae Myung had been accessing the platform from China.
On Nov. 25, Rep. Joo Jin-woo of the primary opposition Individuals Energy Celebration known as for obligatory nationality labeling for customers posting on Korean on-line communities, citing public anger over X’s new disclosure function. The revelation confirmed {that a} extensively adopted account utilizing Lee’s 2022 marketing campaign photograph had made greater than 65,000 posts essential of the PPP from an IP tackle traced to China.
“This isn’t only one account,” Joo wrote on Fb. “It’s obscure why political posts about Korea are being mass-produced from China. If pro-China forces are working these accounts in an organized method, this turns into a problem of interference and manipulation of public opinion.”
Joo urged passage of a pending invoice requiring Korean portals to show the nationality of commenters, saying the problem “straight issues nationwide safety.”
Talking hours after the controversy surged in Seoul, Virkkunen mentioned Europe faces comparable threats — significantly from Russia, which she accused of waging sustained disinformation campaigns throughout its conflict with Ukraine.
“Our democracies are very a lot underneath assault,” she mentioned. “Russia is spreading misinformation, faux information and propaganda on-line on a regular basis. This can be a core safety situation for us.”
She famous that international actors typically combine cyberattacks, propaganda and coordinated manipulation to destabilize societies.
Virkkunen pointed to the European Union’s Digital Companies Act, which requires main platforms to determine and mitigate systemic dangers to elections and democratic discourse.
“All unlawful content material should be taken down. In Europe, the foundations are the identical on-line and offline,” she mentioned. “X is already underneath investigation for noncompliance. Now we have investigations open in opposition to all massive on-line platforms.”
She emphasised that platforms “should comply” in the event that they wish to function within the EU, regardless of typically resisting laws that have an effect on their enterprise pursuits.
When requested whether or not Europe coordinates with Korea on cyberthreats and international manipulation, Virkkunen mentioned cooperation “will not be but deep,” largely as a result of the EU’s platform governance guidelines are extremely specialised.
“However we’re very prepared to share our experiences,” she mentioned. “These platforms have monumental energy in our societies and economies. They can’t function solely by their very own phrases and situations.”
Virkkunen highlighted the EU’s new Democracy Protect Initiative, which strengthens election safety, platform monitoring and speedy response programs in opposition to manipulation.
The EU additionally works with platforms underneath a voluntary Code of Apply, trusted flaggers and preelection roundtables to determine actors making an attempt to take advantage of on-line environments.
“Earlier than elections, we assess what particular dangers there may very well be,” she mentioned. “Hostile actors typically mix cyberattacks and disinformation. Platforms should dedicate vital assets to forestall this.”
Responding to issues that Korea could also be weak to international manipulation and that public consciousness stays low, Virkkunen harassed that cybersecurity should be paired with citizen training and robust impartial media.
“Individuals want good digital expertise and media literacy to critically analyze what they see,” she mentioned. “Older generations typically wouldn’t have sturdy digital expertise, which makes disinformation simpler to unfold.”
She added: “Trusted, impartial media and high quality journalism are important. Residents want correct data, not solely what they see on social media.”
Virkkunen mentioned she sees “vital potential” for joint analysis and cross-border testing in synthetic intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity as Korea emerges as a pacesetter in generative AI. She added that such cooperation also needs to bolster defenses for essential infrastructure, together with telecommunications and vitality networks, that are more and more focused by hybrid operations.
“We see cyberattacks, propaganda and disinformation typically occurring collectively,” she mentioned. “Hostile actors goal to destabilize societies and create distrust. We should all be ready.”
Cooperation on AI, semiconductors
Virkkunen known as for deeper cooperation with Korea on AI, semiconductors and cybersecurity, saying the 2 companions should strengthen their digital alliance amid intensifying world technological rivalry.
Virkkunen was in Seoul for a two-day go to marking the third anniversary of the Korea-EU Digital Partnership, launched on Nov. 28, 2022. She mentioned advancing that framework is her precedence as each side reassess their strategic know-how highway maps.
“It’s an important second to have a look at the following steps,” Virkkunen mentioned. “Technological competitors is extraordinarily arduous globally, so it’s essential for all of us to construct our personal capacities and work very carefully with like-minded companions like Korea.”
Virkkunen mentioned the EU needs to increase joint industrial initiatives after three years of collaboration targeted largely on analysis. Current cooperative initiatives embrace work on semiconductors, 6G networks and quantum applied sciences.
“We’ve had superb collaborative analysis initiatives, and now it’s time to foster concrete industrial cooperation,” she mentioned. “Meaning joint AI innovation initiatives and additional cooperation on semiconductors.”
Korea participates within the EU’s Horizon Europe analysis scheme, the place researchers on each side have proven “very large curiosity” in working collectively, in line with Virkkunen. Europe can be looking for to strengthen hyperlinks in quantum science, the place it leads globally in scientific publications and rising startups.
“Quantum would be the subsequent crucial know-how, together with quantum chips,” she mentioned. “That is additionally a promising space for cooperation between our areas.”
4 joint semiconductor analysis initiatives are already underway, Virkkunen added, however the EU needs to maneuver past analysis to reinforcing the resilience of the worldwide chip provide chain.
“We’re prepared to discover concrete funding alternatives for Korean firms in Europe,” she mentioned. “Korea could be very sturdy in semiconductors, and with the rise of AI, it’s important to have the capability to design and manufacture AI chips.”
Because the EU finalizes sweeping laws such because the AI Act and Information Act, Virkkunen harassed the necessity for worldwide cooperation to make sure reliable know-how growth.
“When AI decides who will get a mortgage or operates transport programs, these fashions should meet clear requirements earlier than getting into the market,” she mentioned. She added that work with Korea may help safer cross-border knowledge flows and interoperability.
