EU and the Republic of Korea reinforce tech and digital cooperation at the third Digital Partnership Council

On November 28th, the European Union and the Republic of Korea (ROK) reaffirmed the central role of their partnership in advancing cooperation on emerging digital technologies to unlock mutual benefits for their economies. During the third Digital Partnership Council held in Seoul, the EU also underlined its commitment to strengthening cooperation with digital partners across the world to boost competitiveness, innovation and resilience.

Through the Digital Partnership, the EU and the ROK will continue joint work on research and innovation on emerging technologies, such as semiconductors, 6G, artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum technologies. This cooperation is designed to boost future competitiveness and technological leadership while building stronger economic security through greater resilience in critical technologies, including cybersecurity.

The meeting was co-chaired by Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, and Bae Kyung-hoon, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT of the Republic of Korea.

Third Digital Partnership Council commitments

The EU and the ROK have reinforced their cooperation across multiple areas. They will continue to work on collaborative research projects related to semiconductors, contributing to more efficient and versatile chips for AI and automated driving applications. Efforts on 6G will also progress, paving the way for seamless connectivity. Both the EU and ROK commended the recent call for collaborative research projects on quantum technologies under the Horizon Europe programme, focusing on advancing these technologies through shared development, expertise exchange and stronger long-term collaboration.

The partners will maintain close regulatory cooperation on AI. They are committed to exploring mutual recognition of conformity assessment results in line with the AI Act. Additionally, they will cooperate on standardisation, engage in joint research and innovation and focus on evaluating AI safety and trustworthiness.

Information exchange on data spaces will be enhanced by exploring joint research initiatives and discussing standards. The partners are also considering establishing a joint working group to support the interoperability of data spaces.

The EU and the ROK will reinforce a number of areas in their bilateral Cyber Dialogue, including the sharing of cyber threat information, cooperation on software supply chain security and Internet of Things product security certifications. They will also focus on cybersecurity skills and exploring potential joint research.

In addition, cooperation on standardisation will be reinforced in international standardisation forums, such as the International Telecommunications Union.

The next Digital Partnership Council will be held in Brussels in 2026.

Background

Since the launch of the Digital Partnership in 2022, the EU and the ROK have advanced their collaboration in many digital and tech areas. This includes collaborative research, regulatory dialogue, and fostering common positions in international fora. This partnership aligns with the EU’s strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, strengthening ties with countries in the region, and advancing the International Digital Strategy.

More information: European Commission