European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on 10 June 2026 that the EU and the Republic of Korea have agreed to start negotiations on a digital trade agreement, launch a new competitiveness partnership, and establish high-level dialogues on economic security and clean energy, following the 11th EU-Korea summit in Brussels.
Von der Leyen, speaking alongside European Council President António Costa and Korean President Lee Jae-myung, said the summit had been "a resounding success" and that the two sides had taken "ambitious steps" to advance their relationship. The announcements build on the EU-Korea free trade agreement signed 15 years ago, which von der Leyen noted has more than doubled bilateral trade, and on a strategic partnership that has expanded cooperation into security, crisis management, maritime affairs, science, technology, and innovation.
The digital trade agreement will consolidate trade cooperation in the digital sphere, ensure safe and reliable data flows, boost e-commerce, and harmonise consumer protection standards. The competitiveness partnership aims to strengthen industrial and technological edge, attract investments, and accelerate the clean and digital transitions. A high-level economic dialogue will bring together work on trade, investment, economic security, and industrial policy.
On energy, von der Leyen said the two sides see strong potential in hydrogen, offshore wind, and nuclear energy, including small modular reactors, and will launch a dedicated high-level energy dialogue. In research and innovation, cooperation will deepen across artificial intelligence and semiconductors, building on Korea's participation in Horizon Europe, which began last year. The leaders discussed continuing this cooperation in the next programming period starting in 2028.
Von der Leyen also highlighted the security dimension, noting that North Korean soldiers fighting alongside Russian soldiers in Ukraine underscores the interconnectedness of their security. Korea has condemned Russia's war and provided vital support to Ukraine. The EU and Korea already have a security and defence partnership agreement, and on 10 June they decided to start negotiations on a security of information agreement.
The summit produced concrete proposals including the launch of negotiations, new partnerships, and high-level dialogues with specific sectoral focus. The policy orientation deepens EU-Korea integration across trade, digital, energy, security, and research, moving towards a more comprehensive and institutionalised partnership. The approach is conciliatory and cooperative, building on existing ties rather than asserting demands.
Stakeholder impacts: EU and Korean businesses in digital services, e-commerce, and semiconductors will benefit from harmonised standards and reduced barriers, but may face new compliance costs under the digital trade agreement. EU and Korean energy firms, particularly in hydrogen, offshore wind, and nuclear, gain new market opportunities through the energy dialogue, though competition may intensify. EU and Korean research institutions and AI developers will see expanded collaboration under Horizon Europe and AI cooperation, potentially accelerating innovation but also raising data-sharing and IP concerns. EU and Korean consumers will benefit from enhanced consumer protection and e-commerce access, though the net effect on prices and choice depends on implementation details.