The European Union and the Republic of Korea reaffirmed their strategic partnership and cooperation in a world “facing multiple crises” at the 20th meeting of the Joint Committee in Seoul, the EU announced in a press release issued by the External Action Service (EEAS) on Thursday 21 March.
Both sides condemned Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, reiterated their support for Ukraine and stressed the importance of defending democracy and the rules-based international order.
They also discussed how to address the wider impact of the war on security and the economy in other regions, including the Indo-Pacific.
The two sides then reaffirmed their commitment to the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and urged North Korea to abandon its nuclear programmes.
They focused on human rights, economic cooperation, including the Green Partnership and the Digital Partnership, trade and cooperation on global challenges through multilateralism.
The EU and the Republic of Korea welcomed in particular the launch of negotiations for an agreement on digital trade, which will complement their free trade agreement.
The EU delegation was led by Niclas Kvarnström, Managing Director of the Asia and Pacific Department of the EEAS, and the Republic of Korea delegation by Kim Hee-sang, Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs.
The next meeting of the EU-Republic of Korea Joint Committee will take place in Brussels in 2025. (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)