Latest news with #SouthKorea-NATO
Korea Herald
26-06-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
S. Korea, NATO agree to establish consultative body on defense industry
South Korea and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization have agreed to establish a working-level consultative body on defense industry cooperation, the presidential office said Thursday. The agreement was reached during a meeting between National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on the sidelines of the NATO summit held in The Hague. During the meeting, Wi delivered a personal letter from President Lee Jae Myung, which explained the reason for his absence from this year's summit and reaffirmed his commitment to deepening the partnership between South Korea and NATO, the office said in a release. "Wi expressed hope that the Republic of Korea and NATO, which share the values of democracy and peace, will actively cooperate in response to complex global challenges," the office said, referring to South Korea by its official name. Wi also highlighted the strong potential for expanded cooperation in the defense industry, pointing to South Korea's advanced defense capabilities. "The two sides agreed to establish a new director-general level South Korea-NATO defense industry consultation body to discuss specific measures to enhance cooperation in the defense sector," it said. They also agreed to promote defense industry cooperation through South Korea's participation in future NATO projects aimed at strengthening the transatlantic alliance's defense capabilities. On Wednesday, Wi took part in a separate session with Rutte and representatives from three other Indo-Pacific partners -- Japan, Australia and New Zealand. During the session, the participants adopted a joint statement reaffirming their shared commitment to closer cooperation between NATO and its Indo-Pacific partners, particularly in practical areas, such as defense. The partners also agreed to continue advanced collaboration in securing supply chains, as well as in defense development, production and procurement, and pledged to work together on joint projects in space and maritime domains, as well as in munitions, according to the statement. (Yonhap)
Korea Herald
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Rutte voices hope for 'NATO-wide' defense cooperation with S. Korea: Seoul
The chief of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization has expressed his strong interest in expanding defense cooperation with South Korea, not just on an individual country basis, but also at a "NATO-wide" level, Seoul's foreign ministry said Thursday. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte made the call during his meeting with Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul who is in Brussels this week to attend the foreign ministers' gathering of NATO member states. South Korea was invited as a guest nation of NATO's Indo-Pacific partners that include Australia, Japan and New Zealand. Rutte "expressed hope that South Korea would pursue defense cooperation, not only with individual NATO members but also with NATO as a whole," the ministry said in a release. "Cho suggested expanding collaboration by starting with practical, achievable measures, through working-level discussions," it said. At the meeting, Cho called for NATO's support in expediting the establishment of a South Korea-NATO intelligence-sharing channel, an initiative that has been in progress since last year. Cho further emphasized military cooperation between Russia and North Korea "must be stopped immediately," stressing the North "should not be rewarded in any way for its wrongful actions in the course of peace negotiations," referring to Pyongyang's troop dispatch to Russia in support of the war against Ukraine. Agreeing with Cho, Rutte highlighted the need for close coordination between NATO and its Indo-Pacific partners regarding the Russia-North Korea military ties, the ministry said. Cho also reaffirmed South Korea's commitment to supporting Ukraine's swift reconstruction, saying South Korea plans to provide a long-term $2 billion package starting this year to assist such efforts, following last year's $400 million of aid. (Yonhap)
