- A new Accord signed between the UK and Republic of Korea
(ROK) will strengthen our joint ability to enforce sanctions
against North Korea, and work to prevent development of its
illegal weapons programme.
- The Accord will be signed by the Prime Minister of the UK and
the President of the ROK during his state visit to the UK.
- The Accord demonstrates the increased ambition of the already
strong UK-ROK diplomatic partnership, which marks its 140th
anniversary this year.
A new Accord signed between the UK and Republic of Korea (ROK)
will include a defence agreement between the UK and Republic of
Korea (ROK) that will see both nations jointly enforce United
Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions on North Korea (DPRK)
for the first time.
The agreement, which forms part of the Downing Street Accord,
will be signed by Prime Minister and President Yoon Suk Yeol
during his State Visit this week. The Accord affirms that the UK
and the Republic of Korea will work closely on defence and
security, collaborating in science and technological innovation,
and boosting trade and investment opportunities.
The DPRK relies on smugglers in order to bypass international
sanctions, many of which were introduced to block imports and
exports which could be used to support its nuclear weapons
programme.
A significant amount of this smuggling takes place in the East
China Sea, where Royal Navy ships have previously deployed and
captured evidence of this activity.
Defence Secretary said:
The UK is leading the way in supporting our Korean friends in
countering North Korea’s aggressive posturing and ensuring the
safety and security of the Indo-Pacific.
Deepening the ties between the Royal Navy and Republic of Korea
Navy, our bilateral defence relationship has never been stronger.
The agreement will support closer relations between the Royal
Navy and ROK Navy during future cooperation to counter this
activity, and will support the security of the Indo-Pacific
region.
Foreign Secretary said:
The UK and the Republic of Korea have built a strong relationship
of trust and respect over many years – this year we celebrate the
140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our two
countries.
And Britain has a long history of standing with the ROK in its
commitment to democracy in the region.
This agreement – signed 70 years after the Korean War Armistice –
is a truly unique step in the strengthening of our work to secure
the security of the Korean Peninsula and the region. We are
proud, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, to be at
the forefront of international sanctions enforcement activity.
This includes upholding international commitments to curtail
North Korea’s illegal weapons programmes.
The UK is fully committed to meeting its obligations as a
permanent UNSC member to enforce sanctions resolutions, and
routinely conducts maritime monitoring operations focused on
vessels which could be involved in the illegal transfer of goods
and resources. The Royal Navy maintains a persistent presence in
the Indo-Pacific, as reaffirmed through this year’s refreshed
Defence Command Paper, with two offshore patrol vessels – HMS
Spey and HMS Tamar – deployed in the region.
Further activity involving both the Royal Marines and British
Army is also currently being planned for 2024. After a highly
successful Ex IMJIN WARRIOR in October of this year at the Korean
Combat Training Centre, the UK will further expand its commitment
to this bilateral exercise in 2024, while the ROK-led Exercise
Ssang Yong will see a significant uplift in the number of Royal
Marines taking part.
The UK and ROK will commit to a breadth of security and defence
cooperation as part of the Accord, which will also include
sharing information to more efficiently tackle maritime threats
in the Indo-Pacific, and the signing of a Strategic Cyber
Partnership committing our nations to working together to tackle
cyber threats.
The Accord will also deliver an important milestone in UK-ROK
defence relations, with the signing of a joint Ministerial
Statement Of Intent to establish a new Defence Partnership for
Industrial and Capability Cooperation.
The partnership will open a detailed dialogue between our Defence
and procurement officials, enabling greater integration between
our export and capability requirements, including industrial
collaboration and supply chain integration. It will strengthen
our future joint defence exports, with British and Korean
industry working together on projects with selected third
countries, and will allow for greater collaboration on shared
industrial development and R&D.
During the State Visit, the President will be joined by The Duke
of Gloucester to lay a wreath at the Korean War Memorial in
London, in memory of those who gave their lives in the conflict –
with 2023 marking 70 years since the armistice was signed.
