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Yoon Yeo-joon, head of South Korea’s presidential envoy to the EU, meets with European Council President António Costa in Brussels on July 15. / Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The South Korean presidential envoy to the European Union delivered a personal letter from President Lee Jae-myung to European Council President António Costa during a visit to Brussels on July 15, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on July 17.

President Costa expressed hope that President Lee would visit Brussels soon to hold a South Korea–EU summit, reaffirming the EU's commitment to deepening ties with South Korea.

Led by former Environment Minister Yoon Yeo-joon, the delegation met with key EU figures in Brussels, home to the European Commission, to mark the 15th anniversary of the Korea-EU strategic partnership. During the meetings, the delegation emphasized South Korea’s intention to expand this partnership and its commitment to shared democratic values.

The envoy also conveyed that the Korean people had peacefully restored democratic rule and opened a new chapter in the nation’s democratic history through the recent change in administration. The delegation outlined the new government’s foreign policy vision of building a “globally responsible nation” that responds pragmatically to shifts in the world order.

The envoy also expressed South Korea’s willingness to cooperate closely with the EU to resume inter-Korean dialogue and exchanges, and to open a path toward peace and coexistence on the Korean Peninsula.

According to the Foreign Ministry, President Costa welcomed Korea’s swift recovery from political turmoil and the restoration of democracy by the will of the people, affirming that South Korea and the EU—strategic partners with shared values—should solidify cooperation through a summit in the near future.

Costa, along with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, previously invited President Lee to Brussels during their meeting at the G7 summit in Canada last month.

On July 16, the Korean delegation also met with Christel Schaldemose, Vice President of the European Parliament, to discuss ways to strengthen the Korea-EU strategic partnership. Both sides agreed on the need to expand cooperation in various fields, including enhanced parliamentary exchanges, joint work in the economic and security sectors, and collaboration in cutting-edge scientific research through Korea’s participation in Horizon Europe.

The Foreign Ministry stated, “By showcasing Korea’s democratic resilience and sharing the new administration’s policy vision with key EU figures, this visit served to deepen practical cooperation and reinforce the Korea-EU strategic partnership.”