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Story by Rene Mahomed
In October, Col. Matt Beall, director, Information Operations for United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, and U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), oversaw the final testing of an Operations in the Information Environment (OIE) Wargame. The game was developed in collaboration with the USFK information operations directorate and the think tank, Center for Naval Analysis (CAN).
The OIE Wargame launched for a one-week run in mid-October 2025, aiming to refine the simulation and feedback mechanisms before its production release.
"The wargame is designed to develop and test Information Operations concepts prior to Concept of Operations (CONOP) creation or execution," stated Beall.
The value of the OIE Wargame to USFK is twofold: it provides the ability to pre-test the potential impact of information operations before real-world executions and trains organizations on how to effectively apply and implement information operations.
Inside the Game
The current simulation features players representing six key countries: the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), China, Russia, the Republic of Korea (ROK), the United States, and Japan.
At the start, players are briefed on a driving scenario where each country has specific objectives, resources, and information operations capabilities. The game unfolds over five iterations, during which each country attempts to influence their partners or allies and applies their own resources and capabilities to an information operation to achieve objectives that affect other players.
The iteration mechanics are straightforward yet strategic: 1. Players choose cards describing their desired information operations. 2. They seek national approval by drawing black (non-approval) and white (approval) cubes. 3. They roll a die to determine the operation's effectiveness.
The country with the highest amount of victory points at the end of the five iterations, which loosely represents successful information operations directly supporting national objectives, wins.
“The game is fun; you get a lot of trash talking, but in the end, win or lose, you will learn more about the target countries and how to apply information operations,” mentioned Sgt. 1st Class Jeremy Randlett, information operations noncommissioned officer in charge.
A Platform for Collaboration
Maj. Patrick Neky, information operations targeting officer, led the daily events.
"We were excited to host the event,” Neky said. “We had representatives from the Republic of Korea, United Nations Member States, Eighth Army, and several USFK directorates.”
Maj. Neky added that the game is especially useful when working with ROK counterparts and UN Member States, as it opens up conversations about how to develop operations together.
The final day of the event included a workshop in Seoul, South Korea, where last adjustments were made before production. Delivery of the first games is projected for January 2026.
During the closing day, Col. Beall highlighted the Wargame's importance to the Tri-Command, a reference to UN Command, Combined Forces Command, and USFK, emphasizing its role in training and execution to deter the DPRK and regional adversaries from conflict and, if necessary, defend the Republic of Korea using information operations.
This wargame is crafted to sharpen the understanding of the operational environment and illuminate the objectives of others that could influence your success. By engaging in these scenarios, planners and leaders can explore, analyze, and strategize the most effective paths forward.
| Date Taken: | 12.10.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 12.10.2025 21:09 |
| Story ID: | 553805 |
| Location: | KR |
| Web Views: | 233 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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