By Beatriz Pérez de la Fuente
13.03.2024
At the outset of his term, President Yoon Suk-Yeol outlined his vision for the Republic of Korea to become a “global pivotal state”, promoting “values and principles”. His strategy hinted at a recalibration from Seoul’s traditionally peninsula-centric focus toward a more expansive, global role. The Yoon administration is interested in working more intensively with the EU as a truly like-minded partner, alongside the US, Japan and Australia. Its cooperation with the EU offers an opportunity to diversify Korean foreign policy as well as influence discussions on global and regional challenges.
An ‘anniversary’ summit
The 10th EU-Republic of Korea Summit in Seoul on 22 May 2023 was the first in person summit since 2018 and the first with President Yoon. It was also an excellent opportunity to celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the EU and the Republic of Korea. These close, long-standing partners have defied geographic distance, transformed from being distant traders in 1963 to strategic partners since 2010. The Republic of Korea is also one of the EU’s most valued partners in the Indo-Pacific.
The investment made in EU-Republic of Korea relations by both sides over decades has never been more valuable than it is today, in a world profoundly shaken not least by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. This war remains an existential threat to both the security of Europe and the global order, notwithstanding the additional complications created by the current conflict in the Middle East.
The Republic of Korea stands firmly by the EU, supporting Ukraine and standing up to Russia’s aggression. The Yoon administration has condemned Russia’s war of aggression from the start and provided much-needed financial and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. It has also worked closely with the EU and other international partners to further coordinate sanctions against Russia. In the same vein, the Republic of Korea has the EU’s full solidarity in addressing the challenge posed by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). In recent months, the EU issued several statements strongly condemning DPRK ballistic missile tests. High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, Mr Borrell, also co-signed a statement along with like-minded foreign ministers on 9 January 2024 condemning DPRK-Russia military cooperation.
A more robust partnership
The EU-Republic of Korea Summit of May 2023 was both positive and substantive, most likely the best in some time, as reflected in the joint summit statement. This was the first time that both leaders have agreed on a formal joint summit statement since 2015.
Presidents von der Leyen and Michel, and the Korean President Yoon took important steps to strengthen bilateral relations in the green, digital, health, and security-related areas. They also outlined their next objectives through the EU-Republic of Korea Digital and Green Partnerships – whilst strengthening the foundations of the Free Trade Agreement. In addition, the leaders committed to develop a security partnership and establish a strategic dialogue at foreign ministerial level. Cooperation on foreign affairs and security is now integrally linked with, and as important as, bilateral economic cooperation.
The next EU-Republic of Korea Joint Committee on 21 March in Seoul will aim at primarily taking stock of summit deliverables, including:
Green Partnership
The Green Partnership aims at intensifying bilateral cooperation on the just transition towards climate neutrality. After its launch at the summit in May 2023, a virtual kick-off meeting took place on 21 December to exchange information on several topics of potential cooperation with a view to materialise activities early in 2024. The Partnership includes a dedicated FPI (the European Commission’s Service for Foreign Policy Instruments) funded project that will financially support its implementation activities. Within the framework of the EU Climate dialogues, there will be three key activities within the Partnership: the Trade and Industry carbon neutrality dialogue (green tech); the Emissions Trading System study tour; and an offshore wind dialogue. Furthermore, the next meeting of the 6th EU-Republic of Korea Working Group on Energy, Environment and Climate to be held this year in Seoul will continue to deepen cooperation on climate action, clean energy and environmental protection.
Digital Partnership
The first joint Digital Partnership Council, co-chaired by the Korean Minister for Science and ICT, Dr Lee and the European Commissioner for the Internal Market, Mr. Breton, took place on 30 June 2023 in Seoul. It was an excellent opportunity to give political impetus to the implementation of the EU-Republic of Korea Digital Partnership launched on 28 November 2022. Since then, there has been substantial progress mainly on the agreed research-related deliverables, including on 5G/6G cooperation, semiconductors, and quantum. Both sides have also compared notes on AI, online platforms, and cybersecurity. The next Digital Partnership Council will be held on 26 March 2024 in Brussels to continue advancing cooperation for an inclusive and resilient digital transformation.
Bilateral rules on digital trade
At the summit, Presidents von der Leyen, Michel and Yoon also committed to work towards the launch of negotiations on binding commitments on digital trade, based on the EU-Republic of Korea Digital Trade Principles signed on 30 November 2022. Negotiations for a Digital Trade Agreement were formally launched by Executive Vice-President Dombrovskis and former Korean Trade Minister Ahn on 31 October 2023, in the sidelines of the 11th EU-Republic of Korea Trade Committee in Seoul. The first round of negotiations took place on 13-15 December 2023 in Brussels and the second from 20-22 February in Seoul. The Digital Trade Agreement will provide legal certainty for businesses and consumers engaged in digital trade; enhance their protection in digital transactions; and foster an open, free and fair online environment.
Korea’s association with Horizon Europe
The leaders also decided to begin formal negotiations for the Republic of Korea to associate with the EU’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme. Since then, there have been three rounds of negotiations in 2023: on 5-6 October in Seoul and virtually on 1 and 21 December. Next steps include further rounds of negotiations and setting up a timeline for 2024 with the aim of associating Korea to Horizon Europe in time for the 2025 Work Programme. An association with Horizon Europe will provide the closest possible cooperation between the EU and the Republic of Korea on research and innovation, with the focus of association on Pillar II of Horizon Europe related to collaborative research on global challenges.
Cooperation on Health
The Presidents of the EU and Republic of Korea also announced at the summit the signature of an arrangement on health emergency preparedness and response on 23 May 2023. It enhances cooperation in prevention, preparedness and response to serious cross-border health threats in the area of medical countermeasures. The European Commission’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) and the Korean Ministry of Health have already identified several potential areas for implementation, including stockpiling, joint innovative funding and security of supply, for which discussion at technical level are to be launched. The aim is to set up working groups that will kick-off in February/March 2024.
The EU-Republic of Korea Summit of May 2023 underlined how both partners viewed the deepening of cooperation on all three strands of the relationship – political, economic, and security. The leaders also emphasized the need to step up security cooperation and address global challenges triggered by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and China’s assertiveness in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait. 2023 was marked by two important developments, namely a dramatic rapprochement between the Republic of Korea and Japan and Moscow’s embrace of Pyongyang. Both developments hold implications for the future of the Korean peninsula and have accelerated the pace of US-Japan-Republic of Korea trilateral cooperation, confirmed at the historic summit at Camp David in August 2023.
The next Korean legislative election on 10 April 2024 will be crucial in determining how easily the Yoon administration will be able to push its foreign policy agenda as it enters the third of its five years. Regardless of the election result, the EU and the Republic of Korea will continue to deepen their diplomatic ties, capitalising on 60 years of friendship – rooted in common values, shared priorities and strong capabilities.
About the author
Beatriz Pérez de la Fuente
Desk Officer – Republic of Korea
Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Pacific ASIAPAC.5
European External Action Service
The views expressed are purely those of the writer and may not in any circumstances be regarded as stating an official position of either the European External Action Service or the European Union.
