Yoon Holds Summit with Prime Minister Rutte Today... Discusses Semiconductor-Based Economic Cooperation

Day 3 of State Visit... Expanding Cooperation in Defense and Science Aligned with 'Semiconductor Alliance'
Visit to Lee Jun Martyr Memorial Hall in The Hague... Time to Express Commitment to Liberal Democracy

President Yoon Suk-yeol, who is on a state visit to the Netherlands, will hold a summit meeting with Prime Minister Mark Rutte on the 13th (local time). Since President Yoon visited the headquarters of the global semiconductor equipment company ASML the day before and secured cooperation fitting for a 'semiconductor alliance' between the two countries, there is a possibility that additional semiconductor-related cooperation will be discussed at the summit as well.

The Korea-Netherlands summit will take place in The Hague on this day. President Yoon is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Rutte for a working lunch and talks, focusing on discussing cooperation measures between the two countries.

President Yoon Suk-yeol, on a state visit to the Netherlands, and King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands are taking a commemorative photo after concluding the Korea-Netherlands advanced semiconductor cooperation agreement ceremony held at the ASML headquarters in Veldhoven on the 12th (local time). From the fourth person on the left: Chey Tae-won, Chairman of SK Group; President Yoon; King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands; Lee Jae-yong, Chairman of Samsung Electronics; Peter Wennink, CEO of ASML.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Above all, economic cooperation based on semiconductors is expected to expand. President Yoon envisions expanding not only security cooperation but also trade areas comprehensively into defense, logistics, agriculture, science and technology, and education sectors. The two leaders are expected to establish and regularize an 'economic and security dialogue' between the two countries for supply chain cooperation, and also discuss increasing the annual quota for the Korea-Netherlands working holiday program.

Close coordination systems may also be established regarding North Korea’s nuclear issue, support for Ukraine, and Middle East matters. Additionally, high-level exchanges in defense and defense industry sectors and measures to promote cooperation between defense companies are likely to be addressed. Cooperation plans in emerging security fields such as the military use of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity will also be discussed. Furthermore, President Yoon will visit the 'Ridderzaal' (Hall of Knights), where the International Peace Conference was held 116 years ago, to visit the memorial hall of martyr Lee Jun. The Presidential Office explained that this will be a time to reflect on the spirit of the patriotic martyrs who devoted themselves to restoring national sovereignty and independence movements, and to express the will to protect liberal democracy and world peace based on strong national defense and global leadership.

Earlier, on the occasion of President Yoon’s state visit, Samsung Electronics and ASML agreed at ASML’s headquarters to invest 1 trillion won to build a 'Next-Generation Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology R&D Center' in Korea, and SK Hynix decided to cooperate with ASML on 'hydrogen gas recycling technology development for EUV.' At ASML headquarters, President Yoon stated, "This state visit will be an opportunity to further strengthen the 'semiconductor alliance,'" and King Willem-Alexander also emphasized, "Semiconductors are at the core of cooperation between the two countries."