Korea-EU High-Level Political Dialogue Seeks Indo-Pacific Strategy Cooperation and Discusses Iran Nuclear Deal

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] South Korea and the European Union (EU) held a deputy minister-level high-level consultation body and agreed on the 20th, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to seek ways to link the EU's Indo-Pacific cooperation strategy with South Korea's New Southern Policy. The two sides also exchanged consultations related to the Iran nuclear deal.

Choi Jong-geon, First Vice Foreign Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who is visiting Europe, held the "7th Korea-EU High-Level Political Dialogue" on the 19th (local time) in Brussels, Belgium, where the EU headquarters is located, with Enrique Mora, Deputy Secretary-General of the EU External Action Service, and discussed these agendas.

Vice Minister Choi welcomed the EU's "Joint Proposal on Indo-Pacific Cooperation Strategy" announced on the 16th of last month, and based on the shared principles of openness, inclusiveness, and transparency, he proposed actively seeking ways to link and cooperate between the EU's Indo-Pacific strategy and the New Southern Policy, to which Deputy Secretary-General Mora also agreed.

The two sides evaluated the deepening and development of the Korea-EU strategic partnership and agreed to actively explore cooperation in areas such as health including vaccines, climate environment, digital, cybersecurity, maritime security, and counter-terrorism.

Deputy Secretary-General Mora held separate consultations with Vice Minister Choi regarding the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA) negotiations and shared the results of his recent visit to Iran.

Deputy Secretary-General Mora recently visited Tehran in relation to the JCPOA restoration negotiations and met with Ali Bagheri Kani, Deputy Foreign Minister leading the Iranian delegation.

Since early April, Iran has been negotiating in Vienna, the capital of Austria, with Russia, China, France, the United Kingdom, and Germany to restore the nuclear deal, but the talks have been temporarily suspended since June 20.

Domestically, there is an issue regarding Iran's frozen won funds, which is expected to become a point of contention in the tug-of-war process toward resuming JCPOA restoration negotiations.

Vice Minister Choi emphasized South Korea's position to continue diplomatic efforts for the resumption and progress of the Iran nuclear deal negotiations. In response, Deputy Secretary-General Mora evaluated the diplomatic support shown by South Korea so far.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.