South Korea and US Discuss Linking Seoul to Pacific Command Information Network

South Korea and the United States are discussing the possible integration of Korean military command-and-control systems with a regional information-sharing platform being developed by the US Pacific Command, according to South Korean military sources and remarks disclosed during a ministerial confirmation process.

The platform, known as the Pacific Command Mission Network, or PMN, is intended to support combined command, control, communications and intelligence among the United States and its allies and partners. The talks are focused on interoperability — the ability of separate military systems to exchange information and work together during combined operations.

The discussions became public through written answers that Kang Shin-chul provided during his confirmation process for defense minister. Kang said South Korea and the United States already share information needed for theater-level operations through their combined command-and-control systems. He also said he understood that Korean systems were among those being considered for connection to the PMN and that consultations with Washington would continue.

The network drew wider attention during the Balikatan multinational military exercise in May. The exercise was led by the United States and the Philippines and included Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. At the closing ceremony, the commander of the US Pacific Command said the network had been used as the force’s main command-and-control system during the exercise, allowing participating militaries to build greater trust and interoperability. South Korea did not participate in that exercise and was not identified at the time as one of the countries connected to the platform.

The PMN is designed to enable the secure exchange of operational data and battlefield information among participating countries. It reportedly uses a zero-trust cybersecurity model, under which users and access requests are continuously checked rather than automatically trusted after entering a network. The platform was previously called the Indo-Pacific Command Mission Network before the US command’s name changed.

Talks about connecting South Korean systems are also taking place as Seoul and Washington pursue upgrades to the Allied Korea Joint Command and Control System, which supports combined operations on the Korean Peninsula. A source familiar with the discussions said the two sides are consulting while upgrading their respective systems and are still considering which functions should be linked and how an eventual connection could support future combined operations.

No final integration plan, timetable or detailed technical arrangement has been announced. The talks nevertheless point to an effort by the allies to align their command networks more closely while expanding the secure exchange of military information across the region.