Conclusion: From Words to Deeds

The authors of this edited volume are convinced that cybersecurity cooperation between the EU and South Korea ought to move from theory to practice, from words to deeds – on the official as well as on the private level. Techno-competition in the digital economy boosted by the covid-19 crisis, the growth of critical infrastructure in size and importance and the need for its protection against cyber threats, and the growing weaponization of technology have turned technological competition into an arms race. All these elements require joint endeavours of like-minded partners such as the EU and South Korea to push for cyber governance as part of a rules-based system. Technical capabilities paired with shared values and a belief in the need for multilateralism in this field provide a strong basis to meet the often same types of malicious cyber activities by the same (non-)state actors operating in the cyber domain. Geopolitics provides a further incentive for cooperation: in the Sino-US competition both the EU and South Korea are interested to cooperate with the US to face up to China’s growing power and techno-nationalism, but would like to pursue these goals ‘their way’ which could become a common EU-Korean way. The Conclusions put the various views of the contributors in perspective, show concrete paths to follow in order not to miss the rendezvous with history through inaction but to proceed from words to deeds.