Traditional security threats arising from territorial, religious, and racial conflicts among others continue to exist even in East Asia. More broadly speaking, the United States is preparing for a new type of warfare as a means to maintain peace by curbing the expansion of power and influence of China and Russia and wielding its own power. China, on the other hand, is striving to modernize its military and acquiring state-of-the-art military technology with the goal of becoming the world’s No. 1 military power. Strategic competition between the United States and China is expected to intensify as these trends continue. The changes in the fundamentals of the strategies employed by the neighboring countries will have a direct impact on the security environment of the Korean Peninsula, and various social and environmental issues at hand will also have an effect.

Terrorist attacks by armed organizations across national borders are expected to create tension and anxiety in the world, and as the radius of activity of Koreans expands even more, Korea may also be directly targeted by terrorist organizations in the future. While cyber technology has brought convenience in everyday life, hacking technology has caused damages and losses to not only individuals but also government agencies, with their computer systems subjected to disruptions or complete destruction.

The spread of new infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, is heightening anxiety in the international community, making it necessary to strengthen the capabilities to prevent and control epidemics. In addition, large-scale natural disasters, such as tsunami-induced nuclear accidents and earthquakes, bring upon national and economic losses, and proactive preparations are essential, as there are limitations to implementing response measures using manpower once it occurs.

It is highly likely that the sustainability of society will emerge as a new security threat due to a decrease in the production population and sluggish economic growth. Urban crime, environmental pollution, and other factors causing social anxiety have been on the rise due to the increase in the three-dimensional and complex use of limited spatial resources through urbanization. It is expected that in the event of a war, a disaster or a terrorist attack in an urbanized area, the amount of damage sustained will be colossal due to population density.