BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 15. Lithuanian Deputy Minister of National Defense Tomas Godliauskas met with South Korean defense officials, NATO representatives, and cybersecurity ambassadors from South Korea, Japan, and Australia, and discussed strengthening cooperation in cyber defense, national security, and the defense industry during a visit to South Korea, Trend reports.
Discussions focused on strengthening practical cooperation in cyber defense, addressing national security challenges, and exploring new formats for collaboration in the defense industry.
“Europe and the Indo-Pacific region are increasingly confronted with challenges posed by authoritarian regimes, which create similar threats to countries located far apart geographically. South Korea is deepening its ties with the European Union and NATO — we are connected not only by a shared understanding of threats and unfriendly neighbors, but also by a common determination to strengthen our defense capabilities, from defense industry to comprehensive security and cyber defense. During the visit, we confirmed that we will continue to strengthen our partnerships in the Indo-Pacific, and we want to pursue bilateral cybersecurity dialogues,” Godliauskas said.
In meetings with South Korean parliamentary and defense leaders, the Deputy Minister underlined that security in Europe and the Indo-Pacific is closely interconnected.
The sides discussed potential cooperation in areas including classified information exchange, cyber defense, civil preparedness, and defense industry integration, with possibilities ranging from munitions procurement to new technology partnerships. Godliauskas also presented Lithuania’s recently adopted Indo-Pacific strategy.
He further announced Lithuania’s plans to join later this year the Enforcement Coordination Cell (ECC), a regional mechanism tasked with monitoring compliance with international sanctions.
Meanwhile, in a meeting with NATO Assistant Secretary General Jean Charles Ellermann-Kingombe, Godliauskas stressed that cybersecurity is a shared responsibility at both national and international levels. He thanked NATO for advancing the Cyber Champions Summit — launched in Lithuania in 2023 as the Alliance’s main forum with the Indo-Pacific region on practical cyber cooperation — which this year was hosted in Seoul, where he moderated a discussion on transatlantic and Indo-Pacific collaboration.
Talks with Japan’s Cyber Security Ambassador Fumito Miyake and South Korea’s Cyber Security Ambassador Taewoo Lee focused on expanding practical cooperation, including enhanced threat information exchange, participation in joint exercises, and broader collaboration between civilian cyber agencies and military cyber defense commands.
Godliauskas also discussed upcoming Lithuania–Australia cybersecurity consultations with Australian Cyber Security Ambassador Hugh Watson. The two sides reviewed their joint role in the Counter Ransomware Initiative, where Lithuania and Australia are responsible for guiding information-sharing practices among more than 70 participating states.
The meeting also addressed threats stemming from global cybercrime networks and practical ways the two countries could cooperate to disrupt them.