During a meeting in Seoul, South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and his Dutch counterpart, Ruben Brekelmans, agreed to enhance their collaboration in the field of AI, according to the South Korean Defense Ministry.
“Minister Kim Yong-hyun expressed his desire to continue cooperating with the Netherlands as the two countries shape the future organizational structure of their armed forces, and ensure that AI technology is utilized in the right direction,” the ministry said in a statement. “Minister Brekelmans emphasized that during the state visit of President Yoon Suk-yeol to the Netherlands last December, the two countries agreed to strengthen their strategic cooperation in foreign policy, security, defense, and defense industries, and pledged to expand their cooperation with South Korea.”
The defense ministers of South Korea and the Netherlands also agreed on the need to “further strengthen joint efforts in the field of defense science and technology and the defense industry, based on the agreements between the leaders of the two countries on semiconductor cooperation.” They agreed to launch a working-level meeting mechanism on defense policy as soon as possible and pledged to maintain close communication on pressing issues.
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Following the summit between President Yoon Suk-yeol and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in December 2023, the two countries issued a joint statement, announcing their agreement to form a “semiconductor alliance” based on the advantages of Seoul and Amsterdam in producing advanced memory chips and necessary equipment, and to hold “2+2” format meetings with the participation of foreign and trade ministers from both countries. The relationship between the two countries was characterized as a “geopolitical partnership” in the document.
During a press conference, President Yoon Suk-yeol stated that the alliance between Seoul and Amsterdam in the field of microelectronics would serve as the foundation for developing defense cooperation between South Korea and not only the Netherlands but also other NATO member states. He explained that the goal of the “semiconductor alliance” is to create an “unbeatable” edge in semiconductor technologies. To achieve this, the two countries would discuss and resolve important scientific and technical issues, as well as share vital information closely, as partners should.
On the occasion of the visit, Seoul and Amsterdam also signed a memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation and agreed on South Korea’s participation as an observer in the joint air and missile defense exercises (JPOW) to be held by Germany and the Netherlands in 2025. The Netherlands is also co-hosting the second high-level meeting on responsible AI application in the military sector (REAIM), which is taking place in Seoul on September 9-10.
