Key facts
- South Korea and France agreed to bolster strategic coordination.
- The agreement comes amid deepening military ties between North Korea and Russia.
- Defense officials discussed security issues concerning the Korean Peninsula and Europe.
- Both nations will strengthen bilateral coordination due to increasing links between European and Indo-Pacific security.
- Plans include revising a classified military information sharing agreement and enhancing interoperability through joint exercises.
Defense officials from South Korea and France have agreed to strengthen their strategic coordination in response to the growing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia. The agreement was reached during a strategic dialogue in Paris between South Korea's Deputy Defense Minister for Policy, Kim Hong-cheol, and Guillaume Ollagnier, Director-General for International Relations and Strategy at the French Ministry for the Armed Forces and Veterans.
During the meeting, the officials exchanged assessments on North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. They acknowledged the increasing links between security in Europe and the Indo-Pacific region, agreeing to bolster bilateral coordination accordingly. Kim Hong-cheol outlined South Korea's policy for peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula and sought France's continued support.