S.Korea, EU agree to expand bilateral exchanges

Washington, Feb 15 South Korea and the European Union have agreed to continue expanding and developing their strategic partnership, the South Korean foreign ministry said.

The agreement came in a meeting between First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong and European External Action Service Secretary-General Stefano Sannino on Tuesday, Yonhap news agency reported.

"Vice Minister Cho and Secretary-General Sannino agreed to further expand high-level exchanges to continue strengthening and developing the strategic partnership, established 2010, between South Korea and the EU," the ministry said of the meeting held here in Washington.

Cho arrived here on Sunday for bilateral and trilateral talks with his US and Japanese counterparts, Wendy Sherman and Takeo Mori.

"The two sides agreed to actively promote cooperation between South Korea and the EU in the Indo-Pacific by linking their respective Indo-Pacific strategies, highlighting the importance of freedom, peace and prosperity in the region," the foreign ministry said in a press release.

Cho expressed gratitude for the EU's consistent support for South Korea's North Korea policy, according to the ministry.

"In addition, Vice Minister Cho asked for the EU's continued support and role in addressing issues surrounding the Korean Peninsula, including North Korean human rights issues," it said.