Yeo: "I Look Forward to Strengthening Strategic Partnership Consultations"
First Integrated Foreign Affairs and Industry Meeting
Next Meeting to Be Held in The Hague in Two Years
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun is speaking at the Korea-Netherlands Foreign-Industry 2+2 Meeting held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 11th. Yonhap News
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo, who heads the Trade Negotiations Office at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, held the First Foreign Affairs-Industry 2+2 High-Level Dialogue on the 11th at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Seoul with Dutch Foreign Minister Hanke Bruins Slot and Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Aukje de Vries.
In his opening remarks, Minister Cho stated, "This 2+2 format meeting, in which the foreign and trade ministers participate together, demonstrates our two countries' shared determination to respond to challenges in the areas of economic security, industry, and technology in a more integrated and strategic manner."
He went on to stress, "Our two countries have established ourselves as mutually complementary and irreplaceable partners at the core of the global supply chain," adding, "At a time when the rules-based international order is rapidly changing, cooperation among middle powers in areas such as economic security, critical minerals, and advanced technologies is more important than ever."
Trade Minister Yeo then stated, "The Netherlands is Korea's second-largest trading partner within the European Union (EU)," and added, "I look forward to strengthening our strategic partnership consultations through in-depth discussions on diplomatic and economic industrial issues, particularly on economic cooperation between our two countries."
In response, Foreign Minister Bruins Slot said, "In recent years, we have faced unprecedented challenges amid geopolitical changes marked by intensifying power politics among major powers," and emphasized, "Now is precisely the time when we must work with our partners to safeguard our shared interests and values."
This meeting was newly established pursuant to an agreement reached during the state visit in December 2023 and is the first meeting in which both countries' foreign affairs and industry authorities participate in an integrated manner. From the Korean side, five officials attended, including Minister Cho, Trade Minister Yeo, and Director-General for Bilateral Economic Affairs Kim Sunyoung. From the Dutch side, participants included Foreign Minister Bruins Slot, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation De Vries, Dutch Ambassador to Korea Peter van der Vliet, and Director for Asia and Oceania Dominique Kuhling.
At a time when the Trump administration in the United States has announced plans to raise tariffs on Korean products to 25 percent, and even key security package negotiations such as the introduction of nuclear-powered submarines between Korea and the United States and the nuclear cooperation agreement have run into difficulties, this meeting appears to be an effort to strengthen strategic coordination with allied countries.
Prior to the meeting, the ministers of the two countries issued a joint statement reaffirming that, amid geopolitical tensions and a shaken international trade system, their strategic partnership is essential to ensuring economic security and technological leadership. In particular, they highly valued the achievements of cooperation in areas such as semiconductors, the stability of supply chains for critical raw materials, and cybersecurity, and agreed to proactively identify new areas of cooperation, including in the field of trade.
They also welcomed the successful holding of the Third REAIM High-Level Meeting in Spain in early February and agreed to pursue regular working-level dialogues on artificial intelligence (AI) going forward. In the semiconductor sector, they decided to strengthen ecosystem connectivity by linking small and medium-sized enterprises and research institutions, and, based on the letter of intent recently signed in The Hague, to seek joint research and development (R&D) and mutual investment in advanced technologies.
The two sides also agreed to continue cooperation on monitoring and stockpiling policies in order to respond to supply chain disruptions. The next meeting is scheduled to be held in The Hague, the Netherlands, in two years.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
