By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee

Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Kim Hong Kyun held a working luncheon with the European Union (EU) Ambassadors to Korea on Feb. 28.

As this year marks the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the Strategic Partnership between Korea and the EU, Vice Minister Kim stressed that Korea and the EU are seeking joint responses to global security challenges by adopting the ROK-EU Security and Defense Partnership last year, while also expanding cooperation across various fields, including advanced technology, the defense industry, and energy.

He also voiced expectations that the recent establishment of four new resident embassies in Europe (Estonia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, and Slovenia) will further enhance economic, cultural, and people-to-people exchanges between Korea and Europe.

In response, the EU Ambassadors expressed their commitment to further deepening cooperation with Korea both in bilateral relations and on the international stage, while maintaining exchanges at all levels as a reliable partner of Korea.

Furthermore, the participants exchanged views on key regional issues, including the situation under the new U.S. administration, the war against Ukraine, the Russia-North Korea military cooperation, and the Indo-Pacific region.

Meanwhile, Vice Minister Kim explained that the domestic situation in Korea is being managed in an orderly manner and that the Korean government is operating as usual across all areas. He also underscored that Korea will continue to strengthen its cooperation with EU member states based on shared values.

The EU Ambassadors reaffirmed their confidence in the resilience of Korea’s democracy and expressed their hope for continued close communication between the two sides.