By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo

Rep. Kim Yong-tae of the People Power Party visited Maria Castillo Fernandez, Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to South Korea, on July 10 and discussed ways to expand cooperation between South Korea and the EU.

Both sides agreed on the importance of Korea-EU security cooperation amid support for Ukraine and the “European rearmament” initiative, and emphasized the need for cross-party exchange and cooperation at the National Assembly level.

Rep. Kim stated, “Korea has fought to protect peace, not aggression, throughout its long history,” expressing support for the EU's efforts to safeguard Ukraine and Europe's peace from Russia's military invasion.

In response, Ambassador Fernández mentioned the “Korea-EU Security and Defense Partnership” adopted last year, emphasizing, “The EU believes in that commitment, and solidarity with Korea is very important in supporting Ukraine.”

Regarding climate and energy cooperation, Rep. Kim stressed the need for a rapid transition to green technology industries, while explaining that Korean companies with a high proportion of manufacturing are facing difficulties due to the implementation of the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).

Ambassador Fernandez revealed that her first meeting after taking office in South Korea was to discuss with POSCO on CBAM issues, and attracted attention by explaining that as a result of listening to the concerns of South Korean companies, some small and medium-sized enterprises could be excluded from the scope of CBAM application.