Seoul, NATO agree to boost defence and security cooperation

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte held a telephone conversation on February 10 to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation in the defence sphere.

According to Korean media, presidential spokesperson Kim Nam-jun said in a written statement that the call was initiated by Rutte and marked the second contact between the two leaders within the past seven months.

During the discussion, Lee and Rutte underscored the importance of sustaining their partnership and maintaining close consultations on key global security challenges, including the war in Ukraine and developments on the Korean Peninsula.

President Lee drew attention to the strong capabilities of South Korea’s defence industry and proposed expanding cooperation through a working-level consultative body that was established last year. Rutte expressed support for the idea and said he would help advance joint projects between the two sides.

The leaders also agreed to continue close cooperation in other areas, including the space sector and information sharing.

By Tamilla Hasanova