▲ South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun (L) and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand pose for a photo during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of ASEAN-related foreign ministers' meetings in Manila in this July 22, 2026, file photo. (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Oct. 7 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean and Canadian foreign ministers agreed Wednesday to expand cooperation in defense, energy, artificial intelligence (AI) and other major fields, Seoul's foreign ministry said.

During telephone talks, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand agreed to expand "practical cooperation" in defense and the arms industry based on the countries' bilateral Security and Defense Cooperation Partnership, according to the ministry.

The partnership was established in October 2025 following a summit between the countries' leaders in the southeastern city of Gyeongju, marking Canada's first such partnership with an Indo-Pacific country.

The ministers also agreed to discuss cooperation in advanced technologies, including AI, on the occasion of a joint committee on science and technology scheduled to be held in Seoul next month.

The two sides vowed to enhance cooperation to ensure stable energy supplies and continue bilateral and multilateral discussions on building critical mineral supply chains, as South Korea's imports of Canadian crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) have increased recently, the ministry said.

Cho asked the Canadian government to continue providing support for South Korean companies operating in Canada to ensure their smooth investment and business activities, as they are making large-scale investments in Canada's strategic industries, including batteries and advanced materials.

"The two ministers exchanged views on major regional and global issues, including the situation in the Middle East, and agreed to continue working together to promote peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the region," the ministry said in a release.

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