Policy paper

UK-Republic of Korea bilateral framework for closer cooperation

Published 30 June 2022

This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government

The Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom are free and open societies, vibrant democracies and leading global economies, with a shared commitment to upholding global security, democratic principles, the rule of law, good governance, the protection and promotion of human rights, and achieving gender equality. We have an ever-growing partnership spanning political, economic, scientific, social and cultural fields, underpinned by shared values and a commitment to tackle global issues, and enhance our prosperity and security. We want to cooperate closely in order to provide responsible leadership on foreign policy issues in support of multilateralism and a rules-based international order. We will work together to strengthen and renew our cooperation in multilateral fora, including the UN and the G20.

Through adopting this bilateral framework, we are elevating our partnership, which is comprehensive in nature and creative in approach. We jointly commit to broadening and deepening our relationship as forces for good contributing to global prosperity, peace and security. We will review this framework annually at Foreign Minister level to monitor progress and report back to the Leaders of our two countries.

Political

Bilateral cooperation

We reaffirm the importance of our bilateral structures to advance our shared interests and values, including through Leader level discussions, our annual Foreign Ministers Strategic Dialogue, Joint Economic and Trade Committee, other Minister-level dialogues, as well as FTA committees, and our Development, Supply Chains and Cyber Dialogues. Through these mechanisms we will take forward the ambitious joint actions contained in and flowing from this bilateral framework.

Cooperation on the Korean Peninsula

In light of the DPRK’s pursuit of advancing its nuclear and missile programs that pose a serious threat to the Korean Peninsula and the international community, we recognise our shared goal of achieving complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation and sustainable peace on the Korean Peninsula. We strongly urge the DPRK to immediately cease unlawful and destabilising activities, and reaffirm our commitment to strengthen further our coordination with the international community to this end. We call on all UN Member States to implement fully all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and also urge the DPRK to abide by its obligations under these resolutions as well as its previous commitments and agreements. We emphasize that the path to dialogue remains open toward peaceful and diplomatic resolution with the DPRK, and call on the DPRK to engage in dialogue.

We express concern over the recent COVID-19 outbreak in the DPRK, and reaffirm the importance of addressing urgent humanitarian need inside the DPRK. We also express grave concern over the human rights situation, and agree to work together with the international community to improve human rights in the DPRK.

Improved regional cooperation

Building on the ROK’s Indo-Pacific strategy framework, which is currently under review, and the UK’s Indo-Pacific Tilt, the UK and ROK agree to strengthen mutual cooperation across the region.

We reaffirm our support for ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) as ASEAN Dialogue Partners and agree to widen our regional cooperation on areas including climate change, health and security. We commit to increase cooperation with Southeast Asia and the Pacific Island Countries to promote sustainable development, and address common challenges in the region.

We reiterate our support for democracy in Myanmar and commit to working together to support implementation of the Five Point Consensus and tackling acute humanitarian needs aggravated by the military coup and COVID-19 including support for displaced persons within and outside Myanmar, including Rohingya.

Strengthened cooperation to address global challenges

We recognise the importance of multilateralism and the international rules-based order and affirm the need to take collective action on the most pressing foreign and security challenges. We commit to work together to find solutions to pressing global issues, including climate change, global health security, human rights and challenges to democracy and open societies, regional and global security and international trade. We will work closely together in multilateral fora, including the G20, to address global challenges. We will build on cooperation in 2021 when the UK invited South Korea to the G7 as one of four guest countries.

Against the backdrop of emerging and enduring threats, we affirm the need to take collective action to bolster foreign and security policy cooperation on pressing issues of concern.

We condemn Russia’s unprovoked aggression against Ukraine that is a clear violation of international law. We remain resolved to stand with the Ukrainian people and government, ensuring the effective implementation of each country’s respective measures to deter further Russian aggression, and reiterate our commitment to the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

We commit to build on our 2021 engagement through the G7+ to defend and progress our shared values and promote open societies. We commit to developing joint and domestic actions which deliver on the commitments in the June 2021 G7 and Carbis Bay Summit partners Open Societies Statement, and to deepening our cooperation on open societies, using the 2021 Open Government Partnership Global Summit and other means, to showcase reforms that take forward the Open Societies agenda.

Shared values

Good governance, democratic principles and the rule of law, including judicial cooperation

We reaffirm our strong commitment to democratic principles, the rule of law, good governance and commit to being international advocates for democratic values. We will collaborate to ensure freedom of speech and as active partners in the Media Freedom Coalition, working together to coordinate and track best practice on supporting the effectiveness of our media and enhance media exchanges between the two countries. We will develop, as appropriate, judicial cooperation in civil and commercial matters, including through the Conventions of the Hague Conference on Private International Law in the field of international legal cooperation and litigation as well as the protection of children.

Human rights and equality

We reaffirm our strong commitment to human rights and fundamental freedoms, as set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other relevant international human rights instruments, both online and offline. We commit to promoting human rights and equality in regional and multilateral fora. We agree to share experiences of the legislative process on anti-discrimination, as well as improved enforcement of existing legislation on protected characteristics including gender equality.

Upholding multilateralism, including G7/G20

We reaffirm our shared belief in open societies, democratic values and multilateralism as foundations for dignity, opportunity and prosperity for all and for the responsible stewardship of our planet. We believe that all people can benefit from a more open world, where democracy, respect for human rights, effective and accountable governance, and the rule of law can thrive; and where the benefits of prosperity are shared by all, through free and fair trade and global growth. We agree to actively promote these shared values across multilateral fora, including the UN, the G20, and with ASEAN.

We also reiterate the importance of peace and prosperity in the international community and commit to engage in relevant multilateral cooperation. We reaffirm the important role of UN Peacekeeping Operations (PKOs) in promoting international peace and security. In this context, we recognise the contribution to enhancing the effectives of PKOs of the Seoul Initiative and 2021 Seoul Peacekeeping Ministerial, the fourth of its kind since the 2016 London Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial.

Global public goods

Health, including pandemic preparedness

We commit to work collectively toward the goal of ending the COVID-19 pandemic and to lead the way in building a resilient, integrated and inclusive global health architecture which can help effectively prevent and respond to future pandemics.

Building on the achievements of the G7 Health Track in the fields of Global Health Security, Antimicrobial Resistance, Clinical Trials and Digital Health, we will commit to a deeper health partnership, formalised in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or agreement, to ensure closer bilateral and multilateral health cooperation. We will work together on commitments and mechanism including: covering mechanisms for increasing health and life sciences Research and Development (R&D) cooperation and information sharing; supporting relevant “pull incentives” to incentivise antimicrobial research and development; promoting strengthened and integrated antimicrobial resistance surveillance and monitoring of antimicrobial use and resistance under a One Health approach; long-term cooperation on pandemic preparedness including on development of global health architecture in multilateral fora, including the Quadripartite, UN, G20 and other related initiatives; continuing cooperation in multilateral institutions including to ensure equitable, global access to COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics; increasing private sector collaboration on health; championing a multi-sector, inter-disciplinary One Health Approach which recognises the links between human, plant and animal health and their shared environment; and deepening our development cooperation, including to provide support to LMICs for national and regional health priorities.

Climate and biodiversity

We will build on commitments made at the G7 to build back better from the pandemic, putting climate and the environment at the heart of our COVID-19 recovery strategies and investments, and mainstreaming nature, including biodiversity, into economic decision-making.

We recognise we cannot tackle climate change without addressing biodiversity loss, and we are championing the adoption of an ambitious global biodiversity framework to bend the curve of biodiversity loss by 2030. We will work together through bilateral and multilateral fora to harness the momentum behind COP26 and CBD COP15 and to make this decade one of delivery.

We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to strengthening the implementation of the Paris Agreement. We will fully implement the Glasgow Climate Pact and further commitments made at COP26 in order to keep the limit of 1.5°C temperature rise within reach, including by taking enhanced climate actions during the critical decade of the 2020s.

We commit to urgent action to conserve, protect and restore natural ecosystems, including forests, and will continue to work together to ensure we build upon the nature and land-use outcomes at COP26 and on the ambition from the Korea-hosted World Forestry Congress in May 2022.

We will continue to collaborate as members of the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People (HAC) and the Global Ocean Alliance (GOA) to push for a global target to protect at least 30% of the global ocean and land by 2030.

We will continue to work together on the decarbonisation of road transport.

Broader new partnership on energy, including decarbonising power and heavy industry

In line with the Glasgow Breakthrough, we will work together bilaterally and through multilateral fora, such as the Clean Energy Ministerial, Mission Innovation, International Energy Agency and International Renewable Energy Agency, to rapidly scale-up the use of clean and low-carbon technologies to support both the energy transition and enhanced energy security.

In order to participate more actively in the global efforts to achieve 2050 carbon neutrality, we commit to rapidly scale-up technologies and policies in this decade to achieve a just transition away from unabated coal. We will also actively cooperate to expand renewable energy and utilize carbon-free technologies to establish low-carbon power systems, and support other countries to do the same. A rapid decarbonization is essential to an energy-secure future for both countries.

We jointly affirm our commitment to the safe and transparent use of civil nuclear technology, acknowledging the role civil nuclear energy can play in an appropriate mix of environmentally sustainable and secure sources of energy. We will fully utilize existing channels including the Civil Nuclear Dialogue with a view to strengthening our bilateral cooperation on nuclear energy. We will also explore the possibility of joint studies in this field as well as enhanced information exchanges pertaining to relevant markets. We will work together to decarbonise heavy industry sectors, including steel, cement and chemicals, through maximising energy and material efficiency, the public and private procurement of green materials, and achieving deep decarbonisation via clean electrification, hydrogen and Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) technologies.

We will support a new broader partnership on energy through identifying areas for greater cooperation on renewables and civil nuclear energy, with an immediate focus on emerging technologies, off-shore wind and the future hydrogen economy, where collaboration may include fuel cells and, in the longer term, electrolysers. We will work together to build stronger links between ROK regions and UK regions and with key private sector partners in renewable and low-carbon energy – pursuing MOUs and partnerships to support greater commercial collaboration.

We will monitor progress on this shared agenda as part of a biennial BEIS-MOTIE Industry and Energy Dialogue, covering business, trade and investment, science, technology, energy and climate.

Expanding our development partnership, including joint projects

We commit to supporting developing countries to tackle the interlinked threats of conflict, climate change, poverty, food insecurity and the health, humanitarian, human rights and economic effects of COVID-19; and building back better so that we are more prepared for future pandemics. We agree to continue at least annual DG-level Development Dialogues to increase our cooperation on these issues. We agree to identify and establish joint projects in the Indo-Pacific region, including on infrastructure, girls’ education, climate and biodiversity, open societies and global health. We will explore joint projects with third partners in Africa.

Science, Technology and Innovation partnership

We commit to building on our science and innovation relationship through discussions on the UK and Korea Innovation Strategies including via the Joint Committee Meeting for Science and Technology Cooperation, the Science, Technology and Innovation Partnership Meeting, and the Health Innovation Meeting, all held biennially. Through this, we will enhance bilateral cooperation projects promoting joint research, innovation and mobility.

We will build a deeper science, technology and innovation relationship on energy which, in conjunction with multi-national programmes catalysed by Mission Innovation 2.0, will support the UK and Korea to address key global challenges such as decarbonising power and heavy industry.

We will use the Learn, Innovate, Network through Knowledge programme to contribute to greater public sector exchanges, to facilitate understanding and collaboration between UK and Korean policymakers.

Education

We will work together to establish an official-level Policy Dialogue on education and explore how we can apply best practice to raise standards in both the UK and ROK in a number of policy areas of mutual interest. We will have ambitious research and innovation partnerships and collaboration between education institutions in the UK and Korea.

Expanded people-to-people ties, including across arts, sports, entertainment and tourism

We commit to growing and strengthening people to people connections, facilitating collaboration to support the growth of our creative economies. We will use on and off line spaces for knowledge exchange and collaboration, to expand and deepen the UK/Korea network of cultural and creative professionals, using digital innovation to enhance creative exchange and to increase opportunities for UK and Korean artists to be presented to audiences in both countries.

Trade and prosperity

Free Trade Agreement

We reaffirm our commitment to start work by the end of 2022 to upgrade our bilateral Free Trade Agreement. We will work closely through all the existing FTA committees to ensure implementation of this agreement and utilise the existing JETCO to enhance our economic and trade relationship.

Supply chains

We will use our Critical Supply Chain bilateral Dialogue to strengthen, maintain and diversify critical supply chains, and promote international collaboration. We remain committed to championing free trade in a rules-based international economic system.

SMEs

We commit to strengthening our cooperation in support of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), including through government to government exchanges and exploring private sector joint initiatives.

Economic and finance

We commit to deepening our bilateral economic and financial relationship through increasing Director General and other senior engagement, including through a Dialogue between HM Treasury and the Ministry of Economy and Finance. We will use this dialogue to pursue cooperation on important global economic and financial issues including tax, green finance, digital assets, economic security and resilience; as well as to improve trade in financial services and financial flows bilaterally between the two countries.

Cooperation in international forums

We will work together in international trade forums including in the WTO, OECD, Ottawa Group and G20 Trade Ministerial meetings to further liberalise global trade, promote opportunities for more sustainable trade multilaterally, and cooperate on WTO Reform issues.

Investment

Recognising the importance of ESG-related investments, we commit to strengthened partnerships with leading Korean funds. This includes the targeted promotion to relevant investors, and the advancement of opportunities in green energy, mobility (e.g. gigafactories) and infrastructure.

Collaboration in Digital Transformation

We recognise the increasing role of digital technologies in our societies and the subsequent opportunities for closer digital cooperation to enhance trade, prosperity and security. We will work together to explore options to reduce barriers to digital trade and to enhance our digital cooperation, including as part of the planned upgrade of our existing FTA.

We will agree an ambitious new Digital Partnership between our respective digital ministries (DCMS-MSIT) to enable us to effectively and safely harness the potential of digital technologies. The MSIT and DCMS have cooperated in several comprehensive areas of digital technology including 5G and AI through Joint Committee Meeting for Science and Technology Cooperation and ICT Policy Forum. With the signing of the Korea-UK Digital Partnership, the two institutions will expand such cooperation.

Maritime and security

We recognise that global partnerships are of strategic importance for national security and prosperity. We will continue to promote industrial cooperation between our countries in these areas through our Research and Development and production capabilities, aspiring to increase joint defence industrial innovation and exporting in accordance with our export licensing regimes. We will seek to reduce barriers and create the most favourable environment for industry to industry collaboration.

The ROK and the UK will cooperate in their capability programmes across sea, air, land, space and cyber domains.

Recognising the important role played by the maritime sector both in underpinning international security and global trade, we will work together on a Maritime Partnership with cooperative capability-building measures in both the civil and military domains. This includes sharing UK expertise on developing a whole of government approach to maritime security based on the UK Joint Maritime Security Centre (JMSC) concept and potential collaboration on clean maritime energy solutions, ship-building opportunities, innovation and investment. We will also work together to agree on maritime information sharing structures to enable the exchange of maritime information to support maritime trade operations.

Defence and security

Military-military

We recognise the importance of a stronger Defence relationship and commit to closer interoperability between our respective Armed Forces and capabilities across all domains. This will include a more formal training and joint-exercises programme. We will hold more senior-level bilateral Air Force discussions and retain our medium term ambition to increase the seniority of Army to Army Staff talks as the relationship develops. We will broaden the reach of our Defence Engagement, draw stronger links between the critical Diplomatic and Defence elements of regional security and elevate our senior policy discussions to Vice-Minister/Minister of State level.

Cyber

We recognise the growing threat of cyberattacks and the foundational importance of a free and open cyberspace to our shared security and prosperity. We will work together, including through our annual ROK-UK Cyber Dialogue. We will expand cooperation to confront cyber threats, including cyberattacks, from the DPRK and other countries. We will deepen cooperation on regional and international cyber policy, including cooperation on deterring cyber adversaries, cybersecurity of critical infrastructure, combatting cybercrime, capacity building, and other international security issues in cyberspace. We will coordinate our efforts in multilateral fora to guarantee the future of a free and open, rules-based cyberspace. We will work together to ensure that new technologies are developed and are used in line with shared democratic principles and universal values, including through our joint commitments under the Declaration for the Future of the Internet. We will enhance information sharing to raise our awareness of the threat from both state and non-state actors. We will work together, building on our different special relationships to share information to raise the threat awareness with a greater number of likeminded partners.

Weapons of Mass Destruction and non-proliferation

We agree to continue cooperating in and contributing towards countering the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and their means of delivery, both to state and non-state actors, as one of the most serious threats to international stability and security.

Space

We reaffirm the importance of space to the prosperity and security of our two countries and commit to keeping the space environment sustainable and reducing risks from space threats. We will expand existing joint work to set internationally-agreed responsible space behaviours, implement the guidelines for the long-term sustainability of Outer Space and define principles for safe, secure and sustainable space exploration, through the UN and other fora such as the Artemis Accords. We will also work to integrate space capabilities as defence partners; expand trade/defence sales into space systems; and strengthen defence space cooperation.

Terrorism

We reaffirm our commitment to take measures against the most serious crimes and threats of concern to the international community, the financing of terrorism, as well as threats posed by hostile state and non-state actors , organised crime and corruption, whilst also building on our existing law enforcement cooperation to combat terrorism.