Gemeenschappelijke verklaring 50 jaar diplomatieke betrekkingen tussen EU en Republiek Korea (en)

European Commission

MEMO

Brussels, 8 November 2013

Joint Leaders' declaration in Commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between the Republic of Korea and the European Union

We, Leaders of the European Union (EU) and the Republic of Korea (ROK), adopt this Joint Declaration to mark the bilateral friendship and cooperation we have built over the past five decades. We are natural partners who share common values and principles and the experience of rising from the ruins of war. We are pleased to declare our strong will to work together for the greater well-being of our peoples and the global community. EU integration has transformed Europe into a continent of peace and prosperity. The ROK, once a war-torn nation, has emerged as an economic power and a dynamic democracy within one generation. The ROK became the first Asian country to sign both a Framework Agreement and Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the EU (in 2010) and our relationship was raised to strategic partnership.

Sharing an ambitious vision for a prosperous future, we reaffirm our determination to further consolidate, deepen and diversify our strategic partnership in all areas of mutual interest at the bilateral, regional and global levels, underpinned by our regular summit meetings and well-established web of political dialogues.

We will continue to enhance cooperation to secure shared growth and economic stability. The EU-ROK FTA, now two years old, has been the driving force for our cooperation, bringing considerable benefits to companies and consumers. The EU is the largest foreign investor in the ROK and the scope of our cooperation has continued to widen. We look forward to the continued expansion of our bilateral trade and investment through the full implementation of the FTA. We will make concerted efforts to further develop the creative economy and innovation through cooperation in research and higher education and collaboration between businesses. Dynamic exchanges in sectoral cooperation will continue.

We underline our mutual commitment to peace and stability in Northeast Asia and our equal determination to promote security and prosperity in the EU's neighbourhood and in other regions. The ROK recognizes the role of the EU in building peace and security on the European continent and its willingness to share its experience where useful in Asia. The EU supports the ROK’s Trust-building Process on the Korean Peninsula as well as the Northeast Asia Peace and Cooperation Initiative proposed by the President of the Republic of Korea. We will continue to cooperate with other members of the international community in efforts to achieve peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

We reaffirm our shared commitment to the goal of the denuclearization of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). We urge North Korea to abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programmes, including its uranium enrichment programme, in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner and to abide by its international obligations under the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and its commitments under and the Six-Party Talks Joint Statement of 19 September 2005. We also express our concern over the human rights situation in the DPRK and strongly urge the DPRK to fully respect universal human rights and fundamental freedoms.

We will continue our efforts to contribute to peace, stability and prosperity around the world and to work more closely together in addressing crises, including in the context of EU-led CSDP operations and humanitarian assistance. In this regard, we will also strengthen our efforts to address key global challenges through practical cooperation in issues such as human rights, development, climate change, the peaceful use of nuclear energy, non-proliferation, cyber-security and counter-piracy. We will maintain our active involvement in the G20 framework to promote global economic growth and international financial stability.

Our partnership will become stronger through increased understanding between our peoples and people-to-people exchanges. We express our commitment to expand cultural exchanges and networks in the fields of tourism, media, academia and civil society for the benefit of the coming generation. We will continue to work side by side to bring Europe and Asia closer.

As natural and strategic partners, sharing a vision for a better future, we look forward to working closely to bring a message of hope and confidence for the world.