EU – ROK Digital Partnership: From Policy to Practice

The 2022 EU-ROK Digital Partnership Agreement (DPA) establishes a foundation for advancing cooperation in key technological areas such as semiconductors, high-performance computing (HPC), quantum technology, 5G/6G Cooperation, artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity. This roundtable aimed to evaluate the progress made so far, address challenges and explore future directions. The discussion assessed how the EU-ROK DPA aligns with other European DPAs with regional countries, enhancing the collective digital ecosystem. The second meeting of the EU-ROK Digital Partnership Council in Brussels reaffirmed the significance of this partnership in driving digital transformation. Both sides highlighted the progress since the first meeting in Seoul and emphasised the potential for deeper, dynamic cooperation. To facilitate the implementation of joint projects in key digital areas, the European Commission and the ROK have concluded the negotiations for associating the country with the Horizon Europe funding programme.

In the framework of the INPACE project, the Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy (CSDS) of Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) organised a closed-door roundtable titled ‘EU-ROK Digital Partnership: From Policy to Practice’. The event took place in person on Monday, 21 October 2024, from 9.30 to 11.00 AM (local time) at Sejong University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. The discussion aimed at advancing EU-ROK DPA policy debates in key strategic areas such as semiconductor supply chains, 6G cooperation, quantum technology standardisation efforts, legislative exchanges and collaborative initiatives related to the digital economy, AI governance, as well as information-sharing on cyber trends and capacity-building projects.

A select group of scholars, experts, policymakers and other relevant stakeholders profited from a closed-door setting to workshop policy ideas and recommendations. Four experts were asked to provide short input remarks and lead the discussions among participants to identify strategic, institutional and legal barriers to translating policy into actionable initiatives, fostering a resilient and inclusive digital transformation for both the EU and ROK. CSDS will develop a policy brief on the EU-ROK Digital Partnership based on insights from the roundtable and in view of the third meeting of the Digital Partnership Council planned to take place in the first half of 2025 in Seoul.