Top diplomats of S. Korea, EU discuss security, trade cooperation at strategic talks

▲ Foreign Minister Cho Hyun (L) poses with Kaja Kallas, the European Union's (EU) high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, during their meeting for the South Korea-EU strategic dialogue in Brussels, on Jan. 22, 2026, in this photo provided by the foreign ministry in Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

S Korea-EU-FM talks

Top diplomats of S. Korea, EU discuss security, trade cooperation at strategic talks

By Kim Seung-yeon

SEOUL, Jan. 23 (Yonhap) -- Foreign Minister Cho Hyun has met with his counterpart of the European Union (EU) and discussed efforts to enhance cooperation in areas including security, defense, the economy and trade, the foreign ministry said Friday.

The talks with Kaja Kallas, the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, took place during their second strategic dialogue in Brussels on Thursday (local time).

The two sides "agreed to continue high-level exchanges, including summit talks, and held in-depth discussions on ways to enhance substantive cooperation across a wide range of areas, including in security and defense as well as economic and trade affairs," the ministry said.

They also exchanged assessments on the situations regarding the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia, as well as the war in Ukraine and the Middle East conflict.

South Korea and the EU elevated ties to a "strategic partnership" in 2010 to deepen cooperation from security, defense and the economy to trade, and science and technologies. The two sides launched the strategic dialogue in late 2024.

(END)

(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved