How AI is Reshaping South Korea’s Defense

13 Mar 2026 | APLN

13 March 2026

This week, Suon Choi argues that while AI could enhance South Korea’s military deterrence against North Korea, its rapid integration may also heighten instability by accelerating decision-making and increasing the risk of miscalculation. We also feature an upcoming lecture by APLN Vice Chair Chung-in Moon, chaired by Alka Acharya, on how intensifying US–China rivalry is reshaping East Asia’s strategic landscape.

As always, we highlight recent activities from our network, including analyses on the US-Israeli war on Iran, Vietnam’s decision to join the Gaza Board of Peace, Japan’s nuclear submarine debate, and Canada-ROK relations.

South Korean Military-AI Integration: Opportunities and Risks

As South Korea rapidly moves from debating the role of AI to deploying it in practice, Suon Choi examines the pressures driving this shift and warns that while AI could strengthen deterrence against North Korea’s conventional and nuclear threats, it may also introduce new risks by accelerating decision-making and increasing the potential for misinterpretation. She recommends that South Korea and the United States discuss bilateral AI safeguards, ensure military AI systems are designed to de-escalate tensions rather than intensify them, and leverage Seoul’s position as a global AI leader to promote international standards that could indirectly pressure the DPRK to adopt basic safety norms.

Read the policy brief

Sandwiched between China and the US:
South Korea’s Quest of Transcending Diplomacy

APLN Vice Chair Chung-in Moon and Member Alka Acharya will participate in the 3rd Gargi and VP Dutt Memorial Lecture on the evolving strategic dynamics in East Asia, hosted by the Institute of Chinese Studies in Delhi (ICS) on 18 March 2026, 6 PM IST. The discussion will examine how intensifying US–China competition is reshaping East Asia’s strategic landscape and debates over alliance reliability, offering a South Korean perspective on navigating great-power rivalry and the search for strategic autonomy.

APLN has over 170 members from 24 countries in the Asia-Pacific.
Each week, we feature their latest contributions
to global and regional security debates.

See all member activities

When Is an Illegal War Morally Defensible?

Gareth Evans, former Australian Foreign Minister, wrote for Project Syndicate and argued that the US–Israeli war on Iran fails to meet the conditions for moral legitimacy. He pointed out that the war clearly breaches international law, is unlikely to be motivated by genuine humanitarian concerns, and lacks a credible strategy to achieve better outcomes for regional security or democracy in Iran.

Vietnam’s Gaza Board of Peace Gambit: To Lam’s Confident New Foreign Policy

Hoang Thi Ha, Senior Fellow and Co-coordinator of the Regional Strategic and Political Studies Programme at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, noted that Vietnam’s decision to join the Trump-led Gaza Board of Peace speaks less about its Middle East policy and more about its evolving foreign policy.

China is eyeing an all-nuclear submarine fleet. Will Japan follow suit?

Tong Zhao, Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, was quoted in The Japan Times, where he commented that Tokyo may feel increasingly left behind as both major and middle powers in the region pursue nuclear-powered submarine capabilities, citing moves by the two Koreas and Australia’s bid to acquire nuclear-powered vessels under the AUKUS agreement with the UK and US.

Common Dangers and Common Causes: Canada and South Korea Join Hands

Eunjung Lim, Professor at the Division of International Studies at Kongju National University, wrote for the Institute for Peace & Diplomacy, suggesting that in domains such as energy security and defence, closer cooperation between South Korea and Canada could serve as a practical anchor for credible middle-power solidarity in an increasingly volatile world.

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