Good afternoon and my warm welcome to you, Mr. Borrell, and your delegation.

It’s great to see you again after our first meeting at the NATO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Brussels last April.

Before I begin, I would like to offer my heartfelt sympathies to you and the people of Spain, your mother country, who are suffering from the devastating impacts of flooding recently. Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragedy.

Your presence here today underscores the importance of ROK-EU relations and I am pleased to co-chair this inaugural ROK-EU Strategic Dialogue with you.

Today’s Dialogue is significant for three reasons.

First, the Dialogue comes at a critical juncture as the deepening military cooperation between North Korea and Russia poses a serious threat to the security of Europe, Indo-Pacific and indeed the world at large. This Strategic Dialogue therefore offers a timely and crucial platform for us to further coordinate our responses to such grave challenges and to renew our dedication to global peace and stability.

Second, today, we will formalize the ROK-EU Security and Defense Partnership, which covers 15 specific areas, including maritime security, cyber security and non-proliferation, among others. The Security and Defense Partnership will reinforce our strategic partnership, enabling us to address common security challenges together.

It also shows that we are dedicated to continuously developing our cooperation frameworks, which already run deep and wide ― from the Framework Agreement, FTA and Framework Participation Agreement on Crisis Management to the Green, Health, and Digital partnerships agreed last year.

Third, through today’s Dialogue, we will reinforce our strategic cooperation across key areas of economic security, supply chains, innovation and technology to ensure that the ROK and the EU are embracing new opportunities together as well as confronting risks.

I’m particularly glad to note that the agreements made between our leaders at last year’s ROK-EU Summit are being implemented faithfully. It shows our shared commitment to turn our strategic vision into action.

As I understand it, you are going to discharge your official duties as High Representative of EU shortly.

Taking this opportunity, I would like to express my appreciation for your tireless work over the past five years, not only for the peace and security of Europe and beyond, but also for bringing Korea and the EU closer together. Your contributions have been a big asset to all of us.

I am especially glad that you were able to visit Seoul before the end of your term to co-chair with me the first-ever Strategic Dialogue between Korea and the EU.

I look forward to a productive discussion today.
Thank you.