Joint Statement between the Government of the Republic of Korea and the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

His Excellency Yoon Suk Yeol, President of the Republic of Korea (hereinafter also referred to as “the RoK”) and His Excellency Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (hereinafter referred to as “the NL” ) met on the occasion of the State Visit of President Yoon Suk Yeol to the Netherlands on 12-13 December 2023. Recalling the Joint Statement on the Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) concluded during the visit of the Prime Minister to the RoK in November 2022, they agreed on the following.

1. On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Korean War Armistice Agreement, both leaders acknowledged the sacrifices made by the soldiers of the NL during the Korean War, an effort preceding the forging of official diplomatic relations. They noted with great satisfaction that the RoK and the NL have developed an extensive bilateral relationship in all areas, including the economy, trade and culture over the past 62 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1961.

2. Both leaders stated that, as geopolitical partners the RoK and the NL are committed to strengthening their cooperation in areas like economic security and the law of the sea, with a view to contributing to global peace, prosperity and security, and to promoting Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic partnerships.

3. The two leaders agreed that the State Visit forms a stepping stone to further improve their bilateral relations, based on the SPA. The concrete steps, initiatives and agreements in political, defense, security, socio- economic, cultural, regional and multilateral domains will contribute to the SPA’s continued implementation.

4. Both leaders reflected on the progress made since the SPA, and welcomed many initiatives and work already done towards its implementation, such as the:

a. Contacts at the level of Prime Minister and President during the Vilnius NATO Summit;

b. Contacts at Ministerial level during the 1st Ministerial-level Strategic dialogue between the Foreign Ministers and the REAIM Summit, and during visits by the RoK Minister of Justice and the RoK Minister of Patriots and Veteran Affairs to the NL;

c. Visit of a NL trade delegation to the Republic of Korea;

d. Contacts at the working level during political consultations;

e. Bilateral cyber consultations and reciprocal participation in cyber exercises and competitions;

f. Collaboration on the organization of the REAIM Summit;

g. Collaboration on joint side-events in multilateral fora.

5. The two leaders agreed to continue, intensify and expand the existing bilateral dialogue and exchanges, both at the high-level and working/expert level, aimed at implementing the SPA, including:

a. Bilateral meetings at the Ministerial and Head of State level in the margins of international and multilateral gatherings;

b. Newly established biennial RoK-NL 2+2 Foreign and Industry high-level dialogue at Ministerial level.

c. Annual political consultations at the level of Director-General/Deputy Foreign Minister, as well as annual meetings of the Joint Economic Committee and Joint Innovation Committees;

d. Korea-Netherlands Economic Security Dialogue to be established at least at the level of Director General to discuss economic security and high-risk strategic dependencies

e. Working-level political consultations to discuss security-related issues including but not limited to economic security, emerging technologies, outer space, arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation issues, NATO- AP4, and regional security issues;

f. Annual whole-of-government bilateral cyber policy consultations.

6. The two leaders welcomed increased cooperation on defense and security issues, and especially welcomed, in this regard, the MoU on Defense Cooperation. They looked forward to setting up a Joint Material Committee on Defense Technology and Industry as announced in the DAPA-COMMIT MoU signed in June 2023. The NL welcomed the RoK as an observer of the Joint Project Optic Windmill 2025 military exercise.

7. Both leaders stressed the importance of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific, and agreed to strengthen cooperation with regards to their respective Indo-Pacific Strategies.

8. The two leaders strongly condemned the DPRK’s unprecedented level of provocations that seriously threaten international peace and security. The NL reaffirmed its support for the goals of the RoK government’s Audacious Initiative for a denuclearized, peaceful and prosperous Korean Peninsula. The NL supports a unified Korean Peninsula that is free and at peace. Both leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation to promote human rights in the DPRK.

9. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to continuing their successful cooperation on international norm development on Al in the military domain, by co-hosting the REAIM Summit 2024.

10. The two leaders agreed to continue their bilateral cyber policy consultation in the first half of 2024 in the NL.

11. The two leaders underscored the importance of rules-based trading system, open markets and a level playing field, and noted that the RoK and the NL are leading countries in innovation and high-tech industries and are committed to promoting bilateral trade relations and investments.

12. Both leaders recognized their unique and complementary position in the semiconductor value chain, and reaffirmed their commitment to build a semiconductor alliance encompassing the participation of governments, businesses, and universities. In this vein, the two leaders agreed to establish a bilateral semiconductor dialogue and a Semiconductor Talent Program, and to continue and expand business-to-business cooperation.

13. Both leaders recognized their common interest in monitoring disruptions to critical items and ensuring the resilience of supply chains and they agreed to promote inter-governmental exchange of knowledge and information regarding the supply chain of critical items.

14. The two leaders recognized the role nuclear energy can play in enhancing energy security, combatting climate change and reaching carbon neutrality, and agreed to maintain and further develop bilateral cooperation on nuclear energy topics such as construction and operation of nuclear power plants; workforce development; nuclear fuel; safety; and innovation of gigawatt-scale nuclear reactors, small modular reactors and other advanced nuclear reactors. This is underpinned by the MoU on civil nuclear energy signed during the State Visit in the Netherlands in December 2023.

15. The two leaders recognized that carbon-free energy sources and energy carriers including nuclear, renewables and hydrogen are imperative to achieving carbon neutrality and enhancing energy security. To this end, they reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing bilateral cooperation.

16. The two leaders welcomed the signing of the MoU on cooperation in the field of ICT, and expressed expectations for increased cooperation in the digital realm.

17. The two leaders recognized the need to strengthen the cooperation in the fields of research and science and agreed to follow- up discussions with the aim of concluding a Memorandum of Understanding or other Agreement on cooperation in the fields of research and science. This enables RoK and the NL to establish a foundational framework for research and science cooperation.

18. Both leaders welcomed the MoUs on brain science and digital farming signed between the relevant institutions of the RoK and the NL, and expressed hope that the MoUs will enhance the cooperation in relevant fields.

19. The two leaders agreed to intensify their collaboration in the field of education and people-to-people contacts, and to this end, will foster an exchange between knowledge institutes of the RoK and the NL on the Indo-Pacific. Also, both leaders agreed to double the number of participants in the Working Holiday Program from 100 to 200.

20. Both leaders agreed to strengthen the cultural cooperation between their two countries, including by:

a. Stimulating and fostering cooperation between prominent cultural institutions such as national museums, for example through the organization of collection exchanges and co-curation of exhibits;

b. Supporting the ongoing collaboration between the Arts Council Korea and the Rijksakademie voor Beeldende Kunsten, with a view to celebrating the upcoming 20-year anniversary of their partnership in 2025;

c. Encouraging artist-in-residency programs, both in the RoK and the NL, building on the successful ongoing collaboration between the Mondriaanfonds and National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) Korea Residency Changdong in this regard;

d. Identifying opportunities for and facilitating high-visibility cultural performances in the RoK and the NL.