The 2021 East Asia SSG forum took place from June 2 to 4. Due to COVID-19, the forum took place over Zoom 

and was participated by representatives from South Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, and Mongolia.

During the 3-day Webinar session, East Asia working group representatives gathered to discuss topics from previous forums, focusing on cybersecurity 

and maritime security sector governance. The sessions included Regional SSG Challenges and Priority Concerns in East Asia, Stocktaking on 

National SSG/R Challenges, Efforts and Development, and Future Strategy for East Asia Network.

The regional SSG members updated on the activities in their respective regions and jointly reflected on the challenges, opportunities, 

and future course of actions. The format of the workshop sessions was so that the Project Office, Rohit Karki, first introduced the discussion topics 

and member groups took twenty minutes of individual breakout group discussion to consider key regional SSG challenges. 

After so, each group presented their findings during the group presentation and discussion sessions.

Some of the topics discussed from the South Korean side were the need for cybersecurity cooperation in East Asia in case of cyber threats from North Korea or 

other non-state actors, Arctic Ocean governance, global vaccine partnership, future 2021 Peacekeeping Ministerial Meeting, etc. 

The overarching intention of the 2021 East Asia SSG forum was so that member nations could come together to mention new SSR events, 

joint research projects/papers/workshops, and other research-oriented outputs.

IPSI