EU considers defense industry cooperation between Japan and South Korea

Nikkei Asia quoted an unnamed senior official at the European Commission (EC) as saying that the EU hopes to develop partnerships with Japan and South Korea to work more closely together amid the rapidly changing security environment in Europe and Asia.

European Council President Charles Michel, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and EC President Ursula von der Leyen (from right to left) at the EU-Japan summit in Brussels (Belgium) on July 13, 2023.

The EU has maintained defense and security partnerships with non-EU countries such as Norway. The EU’s next plan is to develop similar partnerships in Asia. Accordingly, Japan and the EU have many similarities, including relatively small defense industries, high research, development and production costs, and dependence on US contractors.

Cooperation with European companies could provide Japan with opportunities to improve its defence technology, cut costs and expand its sales channels. For the EU, the partnership would provide an opportunity to build a foundation for defence industry cooperation with Japan, create opportunities for joint development of equipment and increase procurement options.

If all goes well, the EU aims to reach a ministerial-level agreement with Japan by the end of this year, a move that could pave the way for the bloc to invest in broader joint development projects in the bilateral defense industry.

In an interview with Nikkei Asia in June 2023, EC President Ursula von der Leyen said security was a top priority for upgrading Japan-EU relations. Then, in July 2023, the two sides agreed to launch a ministerial-level strategic dialogue on security.

At the same time, South Korea is increasing its arms exports to Europe. Since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February 2022, Poland, Romania, Finland and Estonia have increased their arms imports from South Korea. The EU will consider cooperation with South Korea in other areas such as space, cybersecurity, maritime security, as well as cooperation with Japan in the field of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation - an issue that is a priority for Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/eu-tinh-duong-hop-tac-cong-nghiep-quoc-phong-nhat-ban-han-quoc-185240624104347341.htm