28th Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum – Spaghetti Bowl of Marine Undersea Cables: Protecting Connectivity and Communications

Dr. Lee Jaehyon highlighted the crucial role of undersea cables in global communication and infrastructure, supporting activities like daily communications, smart grids, transportation, e-commerce, and online banking. These cables connect countries and enable critical data flow, but damage to them can cause widespread disruptions, with small island nations like Tonga particularly vulnerable due to their reliance on a single cable.

Threats to undersea cables include unintended damage (95%) from fishing activities or seismic events and intentional sabotage (5%) by military forces or submarines, as well as data tapping that compromises security without causing physical harm. Challenges in addressing these threats include the difficulty in identifying perpetrators (as intentional damage often occurs quietly in deep-sea locations) and the lack of maritime domain awareness and surveillance capabilities in many countries. Additionally, the protection of cables involves multiple agencies, such as the military, police, intelligence, and the private sector, leading to coordination difficulties.

Dr. Lee emphasized the need for regional cooperation and resilience, as no single country can protect and recover from undersea cable damage alone. Strengthening multilateral cooperation can enhance rapid repair capabilities and overall resilience. He also stressed the importance of greater government attention and investment to address the vulnerability of this critical infrastructure.