EU and South Korea deepen defense ties amid global turmoil

The European Union is actively seeking to deepen technological ties with countries like Brazil and South Korea as a strategy to mitigate its dependence on U.S. technology. This initiative involves establishing new digital partnerships and strengthening existing ones, aiming to create a global network of tech-cooperating nations outside of the U.S. and China.

During a recent summit, the EU and South Korea signed a digital trade agreement designed to facilitate data flows, enhance personal data security, and promote business-enabling technologies such as digital contracts. This agreement is intended to reduce business costs and stimulate services trade between the two partners, supplementing their existing 2011 free-trade accord. The collaboration extends to artificial intelligence, with both parties agreeing to deepen cooperation on AI safety, governance, and research and innovation.

This push for technological self-reliance and diversified partnerships comes as the EU presented its tech sovereignty package, aiming to bolster its domestic capabilities in areas like cloud services and semiconductors. The EU's digital diplomacy efforts include existing partnerships with Japan, Singapore, and Canada, with Brazil being the latest addition to this growing network. The bloc emphasizes working with countries that promote open markets, secure technologies, and a rules-based digital world.

In contrast to its efforts with South Korea and Brazil, the EU's tech relationship with the U.S. is described as "professional" but lacks a formal dialogue format, with the U.S. having previously criticized EU tech regulations. The EU's progress in building its digital partnership network is seen as a significant move toward asserting its technological independence on the global stage.