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NATO Chief Rutte, South Korea's Lee Boost Defense Ties Amid Global Security Crises

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte held talks with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, emphasizing the interconnectedness of Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific security. The leaders agreed to deepen their dialogue and practical cooperation, particularly in the defense industry sector. They discussed coordinating responses to global challenges, including the war in Ukraine and security on the Korean Peninsula. The meeting concluded with commitments to expand collaboration into strategic areas like space and information sharing.

Key Points: NATO-South Korea Talks: Rutte, Lee Deepen Security Cooperation

  • Strengthening NATO-South Korea strategic partnership
  • Deepening defense industry cooperation
  • Addressing Ukraine war & Korean Peninsula security
  • Establishing practical working-level consultative body
  • Expanding collaboration to space & info sharing
2 min read

NATO chief Mark Rutte holds talks with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, emphasises linked Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific security

NATO's Mark Rutte meets South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, linking Euro-Atlantic & Indo-Pacific security, focusing on defense industry & Ukraine.

"Euro-Atlantic security and Indo-Pacific security are closely linked. - Mark Rutte"

Brussels, February 11

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte held discussions with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, underlining the growing strategic partnership between the alliance and Seoul amid shared global security concerns.

Following the talks on Tuesday, Rutte took to X to highlight the close cooperation between South Korea and NATO, stressing the deepening linkages between security in different regions. "Good talk with ROK President @Jaemyung_Lee today. ROK is a close NATO partner, and Euro-Atlantic security and Indo-Pacific security are closely linked. That's why we are deepening our dialogue and cooperation, including on defence industry," he posted.

In a written briefing, presidential spokesperson Kim Nam-jun said the interaction, which marked the second exchange between the two leaders in the past seven months, took place at Rutte's request, Yonhap News reported.

Building on this momentum, the two leaders underlined the importance of sustaining their partnership and maintaining close coordination to respond to pressing global security challenges, including the war in Ukraine and security concerns on the Korean Peninsula, according to Yonhap News.

President Lee used the opportunity to draw attention to the advanced technological capabilities of South Korean defence firms and proposed advancing practical cooperation through a working-level consultative body established last year.

Rutte welcomed the suggestion and expressed full support for further strengthening collaboration in this domain.

The leaders also agreed to pursue deeper ties in other strategic areas, including space and information sharing, reflecting their mutual commitment to broader and more concrete engagement across multiple high-priority fields.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
South Korea makes excellent defence equipment. If this partnership leads to more tech sharing and joint development, it could benefit global security. India should also explore such collaborations with Seoul—their K9 howitzers are already serving us well!
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Aman W
The world is truly interconnected now. Security in Europe affects Asia and vice versa. India has always understood this complex web. Hope such dialogues lead to peaceful resolutions, not just more military blocs.
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Sarah B
As someone living in India, I see this as a positive step for multilateralism. However, NATO's expansion into Asian affairs needs careful handling. The focus should remain on dialogue and economic cooperation, not creating new divisions.
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Vikram M
Good move by South Korea. Diversifying security partnerships is smart in today's world. For India, our approach of 'multi-alignment' is the right one—engaging with all sides while protecting our core national interests. Jai Hind!
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Karthik V
With all respect to the article, I feel the coverage is a bit one-sided. It highlights NATO's perspective but doesn't deeply examine how this affects the existing balance in Asia. India's voice and concerns in the Indo-Pacific are equally, if not more, important.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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