South Korea's President in Brussels: From K-pop Diplomacy to Semiconductors and Defence

South Korea's President is in Brussels for the first EU-South Korea summit in three years. The meeting's agenda spans K-pop diplomacy, semiconductors, trade, defence and the China question. Seoul has emerged as a strategically important partner for Europe.

South Korea's President has arrived in Brussels for the first EU-South Korea summit in three years, a visit that began with K-pop diplomacy but quickly moved to weightier matters.

What to expect from the summit

The summit will address the semiconductor industry, trade, defence cooperation and both sides' relationship with China. South Korea has become an increasingly important partner for the European Union in recent years, both economically and geopolitically.

Europe has found in South Korea a reliable ally in diversifying supply chains, particularly in the semiconductor industry, where Seoul ranks among the world's leading players. There has also been growing interest in defence cooperation, as Russia's war in Ukraine has pushed Europe to seek new partners for weapons and ammunition supplies.

In China's shadow

The backdrop also includes both sides' complex relations with China. Both the European Union and South Korea have sought to balance their economic ties with Beijing against security considerations, making cooperation between the two parties even more strategically important.

According to analysts, South Korea's role in Europe has grown precisely because Seoul offers technological expertise, democratic values and geopolitical stability-qualities that Brussels highly values in the current global political landscape.