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Welcome from the Chair

As the elected Chair of the European Parliament's Delegation for Relations with the Korean Peninsula (DKOR), it is my pleasure to welcome you to our webpages.
DKOR was founded in 2004 and oversees relations with the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK - North Korea). The Delegation, César LUENA (1st Vice-Chair), Susana SOLÍS PÉREZ (2nd Vice-Chair) and I have the honour to represent, will continue, through regular DKOR meetings in Brussels or in Strasbourg, to encourage a de-escalation of tensions on the Korean peninsula, fostering political dialogue and promoting European values to the benefit of a sustainable peace in line with the foreign policy of the European Union.
The European Union considers the Republic of Korea as one of its most important strategic partners in Asia. Economic and political ties are very strong. The EU-South Korea Free Trade Agreement was not only the first of the EU's "new generation" trade agreements, but also the first one submitted to the European Parliament for its consent according to the Treaty of Lisbon. Through parliamentary diplomacy at our disposal, and namely Inter-Parliamentary Meetings (IPM) with our counterparts, we will continue to deepen our relations with South Korea in the field of free trade and other areas. Moreover and since its foundation, a core aim of DKOR has been to keep a channel of communication with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK - North Korea) open for reasons of parliamentary diplomacy.
I sincerely hope that the diplomatic work of DKOR will provide a significant contribution to the strategic partnership and stability of the Korean Peninsula.
Lukas MANDL

Latest news

12-10-2022 - 11:15
Press Statement of the DKOR mission to Seoul, the Republic of Korea - 19-21 September 2022The Delegation for relations with the Korean Peninsula following their mission to the Republic of Korea, 19-21 September 2022, issued a Press Statement on 21 September 2022:

The Delegation for relations with the Korean Peninsula of the European Parliament (DKOR) had a fruitful three-day visit in Seoul, South Korea (19-21 September 2022). DKOR and the National Assembly of Korea held the 22nd Inter-Parliamentary Meeting, the first one since the start of the pandemic (previous one was held in 2019, in Brussels). The Members of the European Parliament met with the Speaker and the deputy-Speaker of the National Assembly, as well as with key Ministers. The Bureau of DKOR had the opportunity to meet with the Prime Minister of South Korea.

In this context, the Chair of the delegation, Mr Lukas MANDL (EPP, AT) underlined the unwavering support of the European Parliament for the EU-South Korea strategic partnership and the determination to further reinforce inter-parliamentary cooperation.

"The European Union and South Korea are close partners, which share a like-minded approach to democracy, freedom and human rights. In a challenging international and regional environment, it is high time to reinforce cooperation and understanding between democracies. Parliamentary diplomacy has a key role to play in this respect." declared the Chair.

Underlining the significant consequences of the Russian war in Ukraine on European and global security, the Chair welcomed South Korea's support for Ukraine, for freedom and peace in Europe. "South Korea has a lot of experience in dealing with conventional military threats as well as with hybrid threats. Due to the Russian aggression both kinds of threats form the dominant challenges on European soil these days. I highly appreciate the clear stance of South Korea for freedom and peace" said Mr Mandl.

The Chair equally emphasized "that DKOR is closely following developments and engaging with the Republic of Korea, but also, whenever possible, with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and is therefore ready to contribute to peace in the Peninsula".

The Vice-Chair of DKOR, Mr César LUENA (S&D, ES) declared: "EU and South Korea are key partners and we were happy to see that following the presidential elections and change of power in South Korea, the country's vibrant democracy and debates among parties are as active as before. We welcome the adoption of sanctions against Russia by South Korea".

The Members of the European Parliament had constructive exchanges with their interlocutors on numerous topics, such as the recent developments in the trade relations, including market access for European beef, while "always being aware the outstanding and even unique mutual success of the Free Trade Agreement for both South Korea and the EU", underlined the Chair, Mr Mandl. EU's and South Korea's efforts in combating climate change and in facilitating the energy transition have also been discussed, as well as gender equality and the progress in the ratification of the ILO conventions by South Korea. The human rights situation in North Korea has been a matter of particular concern for the delegation.

The Chair of DKOR, Mr Mandl, equally emphasized "the importance for the EU and South Korea to strengthen cooperation in the fields of security and defence in order to positively contribute to peace and to the respect of global rules".

Links

European External Action Service (EEAS)
South Korea