Show Notes
In this episode of Cache Me if You Can, we explore one of the most consequential cyber alliances in the Indo-Pacific: cooperation between the United States and the Republic of Korea. As cyber threats grow more sophisticated, from state-sponsored operations and ransomware to cryptocurrency theft and attacks on critical infrastructure, both countries are grappling with how to strengthen resilience and move beyond coordination toward deeper operational collaboration.
Our guests, Dr. Jim Lewis of CSIS and researchers Sunha Bae and Joohui Park of South Korea's National Security Research Institute (NSR), draw on their expertise in cyber strategy, international law, and critical infrastructure security to examine the evolving threat landscape and the future of allied cyber cooperation. Together, they unpack how North Korea's cyber activities have evolved, the growing challenge of cryptocurrency-enabled illicit finance, and the role cyber operations play in Pyongyang's broader national strategy.
We discuss South Korea's emerging approach to active cyber defense, lessons from U.S. concepts such as defend forward and persistent engagement, and the legal and policy considerations that accompany more proactive cyber operations. The conversation also explores how the U.S.–ROK alliance can operationalize cyber cooperation, coordinate responses to shared threats, and work with regional partners to build a more resilient and secure digital environment across the Indo-Pacific.
More from Cache Me If You Can
In this episode of Cache Me if You Can, we examine the expanding role of private companies in U.S. offensive cyber operations and what recent policy developments reveal about the future of public-private cooperation in cyberspace. For decades, offensive cyber operations have largely remained the responsibility of government agencies. However, a new White House memorandum exploring how vetted private companies could conduct cyber surveillance and disruption operations against foreign cybercriminal organizations raises important questions about the boundaries between government authority, private-sector capabilities, and national security.
In this episode of Cache Me if You Can, we examine the state of U.S.-China relations following President Trump and President Xi Jinping’s latest summit in Washington. Against a backdrop of intensifying technological competition, economic tensions, and geopolitical uncertainty, the two leaders sought to stabilize the relationship while pursuing a more reciprocal framework for engagement.
In this episode of Cache Me if You Can, we explore how cyber threats, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies are reshaping the world of intelligence. As the speed and scale of technological change accelerate, intelligence professionals face a growing challenge: how to take advantage of new tools without losing the judgment, tradecraft, and collaboration that remain essential to national security.
In this episode of Cache Me If You Can, we explore how advances in artificial intelligence are reshaping the balance between cyber attackers and defenders. As increasingly capable AI models discover vulnerabilities, navigate complex systems, and accelerate sophisticated cyber operations, organizations face a critical question: can defenders harness these same capabilities quickly and safely enough to gain the advantage?
On this special edition episode, Lauryn Williams joins Will Todman on the State of Play podcast for a crossover episode of Cache Me If You Can.