Yoon Elevates Partnership with NATO... Evolution of 'Tech Security' Cooperation

President Yoon Arrives in Lithuania... New NATO Partnership and Series of Meetings
11 Cooperation Agreements Including Science & Technology, Counterterrorism, Cyber Defense
Expanding Cooperation with NATO... "Need for Collaboration with NATO and Indo-Pacific Countries"

On the 11th (local time), President Yoon Suk-yeol met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit to sign the 'Individual Tailored Partnership Plan (ITPP)' covering 11 areas including cyber and counter-terrorism. Since joining NATO as a partner country in 2006, South Korea has jointly responded to international security threats, and through this bilateral cooperation, it is expected to further elevate security cooperation levels between the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions.

Visiting Lithuania to attend the NATO summit, President Yoon discussed ways to strengthen security cooperation between South Korea and NATO during a meeting with Secretary General Stoltenberg on the morning of the same day. The ITPP between South Korea and NATO includes a total of 11 areas such as science and technology, counter-terrorism, cyber defense, and emerging scientific technologies. NATO has been promoting the upgrade of the 'Individual Partnership Cooperation Program (IPCP)' with AP4 (the four major Asia-Pacific partner countries: South Korea, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand) to a new framework called the 'Individual Tailored Partnership Plan.' It is known that Japan and Australia have already completed negotiations.

President Yoon Suk-yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee, attending the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit, arrived at Vilnius International Airport in Lithuania on the afternoon of the 10th (local time) and are disembarking from Air Force One, their dedicated aircraft. President Yoon will tour Lithuania and Poland over a 4-night, 6-day schedule.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

President Yoon also agrees with NATO's expansion of the scope of security cooperation from regional aspects to value-based aspects. This is based on the judgment that closer cooperation is needed on issues such as cyber security, maritime security, climate change, space, and artificial intelligence (AI) and other new technologies. In a written interview with AP before departure, President Yoon mentioned the necessity of cooperation between NATO and Asia-Pacific countries, stating, "Just as events in Europe have substantial and significant impacts on the Indo-Pacific region, events in the Indo-Pacific region can also have great effects on European countries."

Additionally, President Yoon is expected to propose ways to contribute to expanding information sharing with NATO allies, including the United States. Kim Eun-hye, Senior Spokesperson for the Presidential Office, held a briefing at the press center set up locally and said, "Strengthening cooperation between NATO and Asia-Pacific countries, including the Republic of Korea, starts from the recognition that Atlantic security and Indo-Pacific security are closely linked." She added, "President Yoon will emphasize firm and united cooperation in response to North Korea's nuclear missile threats and illegal activities, along with building mutual partnerships with member and partner countries."

President Yoon's schedule, planned through the 12th, is also packed. Multiple sequential bilateral meetings with countries such as Norway and the Netherlands are scheduled. The South Korea-Netherlands summit will be held over lunch, with key agenda items expected to include ways to strengthen supply chain cooperation in major sectors such as semiconductors and critical minerals. Other events include a dinner hosted by Lithuanian President Gitanas Naus?da for NATO allies and partner countries, as well as the AP4 summit. President Yoon will preside over this AP4 summit.

In particular, at the dinner for NATO allies and partner countries, natural meetings with U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida are expected. Although lengthy conversations may be difficult due to the nature of the dinner, given that the trilateral summit between South Korea, the U.S., and Japan, initiated by President Biden at the G7 summit in May, is expected to be held as early as next month, messages regarding security cooperation may be exchanged.

The highly anticipated South Korea-Japan summit is also scheduled during this NATO visit. If this summit takes place, the two leaders will meet again after two months. However, since the issue of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant contaminated water discharge is expected to be discussed, political circles analyze that the atmosphere may differ from previous meetings.

With Japan reportedly planning to discharge Fukushima nuclear power plant contaminated water this summer, Prime Minister Kishida is expected to seek understanding regarding the discharge plan at the South Korea-Japan summit. Some speculate that President Yoon may express trust in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report. However, a presidential office official stated, "The government's position that public safety is the top priority will be conveyed clearly and explicitly," adding, "The same principle will be reflected and communicated regarding related matters."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.