South Korea and the European Union jointly decided to start a military dialogue today, Monday, with the aim of developing a security partnership, amid tension over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and North Korea’s nuclear threats.

South Korean President, Yun Suk-yeol, held a summit in Seoul with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel, during which the leaders also agreed to strengthen cooperation in areas such as climate change, health, and supply chains.

Yun has been pushing for stronger security ties with Europe and other US allies to address global challenges, including the conflict in Ukraine and tensions over China’s stance on Taiwan. He also wants cooperation to curb North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.

In today’s talks, which mark the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations, Yun and EU leaders condemned in a joint statement Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a serious violation of international law. They also criticized North Korea’s continuous efforts to develop a nuclear arsenal and Pyongyang’s threats of possible use of nuclear weapons against South Korea.

At the press conference, von der Leyen thanked Yun for the financial and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Yun and European leaders also called for freedom of overflight and navigation in the South China Sea as well as for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, saying they oppose any unilateral actions to change the status quo in the Indo-Pacific region.

South Korea and the EU will also strengthen cooperation on economic security, including early warning systems to identify and address potential problems in the supply chains of key industries such as semiconductors.

Source: CNN Greece

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